How to deal with discouragement

 

a pretty, little leaf on my dirty garden hand

It is hard to not give in to discouragement.

This sinful world we live in works against the spirit who lives inside us.

The world will never win, let's be clear on that!

It's a weird situation, but so natural at the same time.

God lives in me.

I am not my own.

Yet, I have autonomy in regards to my actions and reactions.

I am human.

I am saved.

But still just as capable of sin as everyone else.

I have the comforter with me.

Yet I am still suseptible to despair and discouragement.

I need to be more aware in each little moment of sitting back, breathing, and letting go.

I don't have to do everything, know everything, solve everything.

I just need to lean on my comforter and let His spirit envelope me like a warm, soft blanket.

I need to use this season of joyful colors in nature to really and truely feel the joy of the Lord!

I've been walking more on the path out in our woods (I have a half mile loop)  It's been a rainy summer and the green moss has created a beautiful carpet on the path.  I think because we raked the whole path last fall.  It's so peaceful.

A Christian Argument for Homeschooling

At church this past Sunday morning the sermon was about Moses coming down off of the mountain after being in God's presence for 40 days and nights.  When he came down carrying the tablets for the second time His face was radiantly shining.  This happened every time he spent time in the presence of God.  He spent time "beholding" God and he was therefore becoming more godly.

Then the pastor said "We become like what we behold"

Well, that got my attention!  I began to take some notes, but gave up in favor of going back and viewing the video later in the day.  The beginning part of his sermon was chock full of reasons why we should home school!  This was, I am sure, not his intention.  But there it was!  There is no denying it!

The following quotes are listed in the order in which they were stated:

"We are influenced by those we spend the most time with"
*Why would we send our children off to a day care or a school building where they are influenced by their teachers and peers for the majority of their productive day?

"It matters who we keep company with"
*Do we really know all of the people that our children come into contact with each day?  Do we trust them?  Do we personally know them?  The children?  Their families?

"We adopt the values, perspectives, and habits from the people we spend the most time with"
*Teachers, aides, students, etc........do we know what the values, perspectives, and habits are of all of these people?  Would we be okay with them if we did?

"Are those people we spend time with good for us?"
*Can you really honestly answer yes to this question? Think about it?

"Do they bring us closer to the Lord or farther away?"
*Public school is never going to bring you closer to God.  It will only drive a wedge of doubt into your child's heart and mind.  It is a place where it is illegal to mention God.

"All our lives we become like what we behold"
*From the cradle to the grave!  We become what we behold.  That is a profound statement in regards to sending your children out of your christian home into a pagan world to learn.

"It benefits us always to make sure that we are gazing upon and investing our time in that which is good and that which is godly"
*I guess you could make a slight argument for some good in public education.  But it does not outweigh the ungodly, not one bit!  And it is progressively getting worse.
A child in public school can easily spend the majority of every school day beholding, investing in, and being influenced by that which is not known for godliness.

As Christians we owe it to our children and our grandchildren to guide them in the way that is right and godly.

A public education, or in my opinion, any education outside of the home, is not in the best interest of Christian children. 

Home/Garden/Personal Goals for 2017

I joined a group on facebook that focuses on learning new skills each month.  Assignment number one is to make a Goals list of 3 or 5 or 10 goals for the year 2017.  I already had a few goals lists written down here and there, so I pulled them all together into one place.  Turns out I have 20!

here they are in no particular order:

1.  Buy a book on sugaring (already on my amazon wish list) and begin to create a plan and assemble what is needed to start tapping some trees and getting me some maple syrup!

2.  Expand my garden into an area we have cut the trees down a couple of times.  I'm going to try sheet composting right on the rooty rocky ground.

3.  Build a hugelkulture (sp?) bed on the upper front lawn.  This seems like a wonderful possibility for our rocky, thin soil.

4.  Start some annual flowers from seed this year.  I need to plant tons in order to encourage more bee activity here in the deep woods.

5.  Grow more herbs--learn more aboutusing herbs and tinctures.

6.  Plan a greenhouse to be built over two of the raised beds in my garden.

7.  Learning to draw!  continue to work on this.  I have written a bunch of kids stories and i really want to get them illustrated and printed out.  then I can learn to bind my own books! 

8.  Buy a dehydrator.  I had one 20 years ago and sold it at a yard sale when I lost interest.  Stupid move.  I could really use one now.

9.  Complete more sewing projects.  nothing specific.

10.  Organize all of our photos into  photo boxes (already purchased & already set up in the dining room)  --i've begun this project.

11.  Lose weight.  This has been on my goal list for 30 years.  Well, no, longer than that.  I am 56 and have always said I was happy being fat and fit.  But the fit part is getting harder the older I get.  I'm happy with the fact that I learned to not get fatter!  I recently bought the Trim Healthy Mama book and reactivated MyfitnessPal.  I have a fitbit on my amazon wishlist.

12.  Hike more!  The last few years my sciatica has been awful (it's lots better! it seems driving makes it worse and since I stopped working in Sept. I don't hardly drive!)  I also injured my achilles tendon last spring so we didn't do one hike in 2016.  That also is better now.

13.  Build up my pantry again!  I need to get a better list going and spend more time weekly searching out the best prices on items for my pantry.  In conjunction with this I also want to work on a meal list again.

14.  Seek out more local foods.  Do more shopping at the various farmers markets.

15.  Spend less money!  I really don't want to go back to work, so I must get back to my frugal roots.  I need to work on a list of things that can be done to cut back, post them and keep at it.

16.  Build an arbor and plant grapes.

17.  Be very hands-on with the homeschooling of grandsons.

18.  work on plans for a new workshop/storage out back.

19.  Make decisions and have a firm plan in place for next winter to partially renovate the kitchen.  New bottom cabinets on one wall, new sink, all new countertops, paint, new flooring, and potentially build a movable island I can use for baking.  

20.  Paint the master bedroom and lay a wood laminate floor.  (the paint has been purchased and we are going to check out the laminate tomorrow)

ok, I lied, I have....

21.  Put a new roof on the house.

I know this looks like a lot, but I think it's all very doable since many of them are just "plan" things. 

what's going on?

i have come to the conclusion that if i'm going to make my blogs like others i read then i need to take more pictures.
and since all of the pictures i take are of my grandbabies, then my blog would only be about them!

so here is what's going on

home organizing and cleaning:  my winter clothes are in and summer ones are out!  some went to the rag bag!  i tend to wear the same things over and over and over again.  went through my bookshelf and weeded out a small stack for goodwill.  i need to get on a cleaning schedule now that i am home every day.  it would make it so i didn't have to think.

crafting:  i made a no sew fleece blanket for sophie in purple camo!

cooking:  apples, apples, apples!!!  i went apple picking 3 times and i think i picked about 100 lbs!

so far i've made a ton of applesauce, six pie fillings, and a few apple cakes.  i'm going to make a couple dozen jumbo apple muffins and a few more apple desserts to keep in the deep freeze.

outside:  cutting down trees, raking leaves, cleaning the garage, and winterizing the coop.  the garden cleaned up so easily this year with having the chickens right there to feed the spent plants to!  i've also been working on a new garden area.

we cut our own wood

charlie keeping warm first thing in the morning.  we have yet to turn on the furnace this season

family:  lots of birthday celebrations lately and family visits.  these boys all love getting together.  their favorite thing to do now is to play hide and seek (charlie calls it hide and sneak)

the television goes on when the grown ups need a break!

school:  cruising right along with prepping lesson plans for sarah to teach ethan.  I hear that calvin is paying lots of attention and learning lots too.  maybe they can be in the same grade at some point since they are only 18 months apart in age?  i've also started to put together a learning packet for charlie at his mom's request.  with winter on our doorstep it will be perfect learning time!

faith:  every morning i do bible writing.  i'm in isaiah 24 right now and its very interesting.  learning a lot.  also attend a bible study with a couple friends and we are studying Girls Gone Wise.  AND, i also do a bible study on facebook for me and the girls, right now its Conversation Peace. 

well, that's it from the wink!  

Work six days

The example that God gave us.

Work six days, and on the seventh you can rest.

God did not work for five days and then party all weekend.

God did not work for three days and then spend the rest laying around on the sofa watching television. (I believe that the tv is a human invention that God must really DISLIKE because it causes so many of us not to work, and is also a portal that brings the sinful world into our homes)

We were created to work.
Even before the fall, in the garden, we were clearly told to work.
God told us to take care of what He had given to us.

If you don't work you don't eat.  That pretty much sums it up.  If you don't do something to contribute to your own well being and survival, if you don't take care of what you have been given, then you will be in a place of dependence on others.  There are those who truly need to depend on others:  the elderly, the disabled, children.  They need others to work harder so they will be taken care of.

However, we must have the mindset that there is work for everyone.  Work is not just reserved for the able-bodied people between the ages of 22-65.  We all must work!

Now, when I speak of work, don't confuse it with "employment".  Work is everything you do for yourself and others to ensure that all needs are covered.  Work is also being creative: building, painting, sewing, etc.  Hobbies are a form of work!  These are skills so we should put them to good use.

Your workday does not end when you leave your place of employment. (unless you just worked a 12+ hour day of manual labor)  Think about all of the needs of your home and family.  If you work outside the home, you should still come home and do your "chores"  Your home and property still have needs.  When you come home from work and sit in front of the tv your home will fall into disrepair.  Work.  Take pride in what you have been given.

If you are a woman whose work place is the home, then it should be a steady march through your day from sun up until bedtime.  There are plenty of hours in a day to take care of children, keep the home clean and tidy, and prepare healthy food for your family.  Your husband deserves to come home to a clean home and a good meal after working all day.

If both husband and wife work outside the home then home chores should be divided based on time spent outside the home and difficulty of jobs.  I won't even address this same scenario with children in the equation because I believe the only place for a mother to work is in the home with her family.

This post was inspired by my observation of my husbands work ethic.  He worked long hours for many years to support our family and enable me to be home.  Early on he pieced together two jobs to make ends meet, and then a job that had him leaving the house at 6:30 am and returning at 7:30 pm five days a week.  Every Saturday he would spend time working on things that needed to be done around the house in addition to playing with the kids.  Sunday was usually church and rest and play.

Even now, as empty nesters, he works a part time job.  He does not sit around and do nothing the rest of the time.  He works hard to maintain our home and property.  He builds stuff.  He helps others do stuff.  He plays his guitar and learns new music.  He works on wood all year practically in one way or another so that we can be warm in the winter.  He helps me with projects and he spends time with his grandchildren.

He worked steadily from the time he had a newspaper route and he still works now.  If you don't work, what is there? (remember what I said work was defined as)

I feel sorry for the younger generations that waste so much time in front of the television.  Or playing video games.  What the heck is up with that?  So unproductive.

So, to summarize my thoughts,

whether you are young or old, able or not, male or female,

find your work and do it.  The world will be a much better place if you do.

Whats going on?

Here is what is going on around these parts these days.....

Home:  I love it here!  I could stay here and never leave...unless I was going to get a grand boy or girl!
I worked on reorganizing the really big bookshelf in my craft room.  Jeff just built me an even bigger one this week!  It's going in the dining room.  I need more space to store books and toys I don't want the kids to have free reign with.  So I will be off loading my old bookshelf and organizing the new one as soon as he gets it in and anchored to the wall.

Cooking:  I'm trying to get back into making a menu, then shopping, then actually sticking with the plan!

So far in the last couple of weeks i have made a pumpkin pie and a dutch apple pie.  Both are totally gone!  The next pies I make will go into the freezer that is for sure.  I also made pumpkin butter in the crock pot and it came out really good.  I used pumpkin flesh that I had cooked last year, scooped out and stuck in the freezer.  I just took it out and let it drain really well and then pureed it in the food processor.

Garden:  I've slowly been pulling up spent plants and feeding them to the chickens.  This way the beds will gradually get cleaned out over the next few weeks.  The sun is moving much lower across the sky and my garden is half in the shade now.  I am going to build some new beds next year in other areas around the yard to take advantage of sunnier spots and the plan is to concentrate on a couple beds being veggies that can grow in the shade!  I cut all of my basil yesterday and its all ready for me to make pesto later on today.
I am now getting 2 eggs daily.  I'm hoping the other 7 start laying soon and continue through the winter months.  I'm already keeping a light on in the coop to make sure they get about 14 hours of light.

Work:  Well!  I gave my notice at my job and my last day will be the 14th of October.  I will only be working 1 day a week for the next couple of weeks, so essentially, I'm done.  It is sad, but also a big relief.  Things went downhill in the last few months and got to the point that they couldn't be fixed.  So the plan is for me to take off the next six months and then look for something else.  All I'm going to want is 1 day a week.  I'm thinking a craft store???

Family:  Everyone was over yesterday for lunch and haircuts.  Jeff is the barber of the family.  He did 7 haircuts yesterday.  He had a couple whiners and one all out crier.  But he got the job done!

Health:  I'm trying to walk again.  I have Achilles tendinitis and it is a nuisance!  I'm remembering to stretch before walking and to ice after.  I'm sticking to 30 minutes or less and it's mostly on the treadmill.  I've put notes up on the fridge to remind me to take my supplements:
I started taking cod liver oil + vitamin d in addition to a B-complex, and turmeric (golden paste)
The B-complex gives me more energy and the turmeric helps with my aches and pains (and mood too, I think)  The cod liver oil is supposed to help with lots of things, primarily immune.  We shall see.

Until next time!

What's going on?

Here is what's going on!

Home:  Just when you think you have a plan for how your home should be......it will change!  I have been planning on making my dining room into just a dining room.  What was I thinking?!   I was thinking of getting a few pieces of furniture (jelly cupboards) to store my serving pieces in (which are in totes in a closet at the moment)  I've decided to get a piece of fitness equipment instead.  That is what is going in the dining room because the room we use for fitness equipment (previously a bedroom) is full and we can't place it well in there.  Health trumps fancy storage plain and simple.  So I am going through stuff and what has no meaning is going to Goodwill.  Hubby is building a really large bookshelf for me because the one I have is too small so I will utilize the very top shelves of that for some of the platters and serving pieces I use a lot.  For now.

Crafting:  I'm adding this category because I am a crafter!  I dabble in a lot of different things.  This week I went to Joann Fabrics and spent 2 hours walking around and deciding on a pattern (for baby granddaughter stuff) and fabrics for a few different sewing projects.  This week we crafted these pumpkins from scrap wood.  Hubby cut and sanded and I painted.  We are a team on the wink!

Garden:  Still picking green beans and some cucumbers.  There are a few little pumpkins still growing and my dwarf sunflowers bloomed.  Late, but then again I planted them late.  I pruned my raspberries, transplanted some back into line and mulched heavily with straw.  The blueberries got a heavy mulch of pine needles.  I worked on my compost pile  which is growing crazy since I got chickens because of the straw from the pen.  I keep the pen nice and dry so I change out the straw weekly.  Otherwise I've been doing some fall weeding in different flower beds.  The leaves are changing and some are falling here in northern New England.  I've been pulling up random plants that are done producing and feeding them to the chickens.  They loved the squash plants!  This way I will get the garden all cleaned up in bits and pieces.

Family:  We had a family get together yesterday for our son's 30th birthday.  This is my second child to hit this milestone age!  His party was planned and executed by his wife.  I didn't bake the cake, but I did get to frost the cupcakes.  Ask me if I liked not being in charge of my son's birthday cake.  I dare you! haha!  We have six grandchildren, 5 of them being boys 2 1/2 to 5 years of age.  I was ready to go home at the end of the party.  I don't always hold my tongue when it comes to behaviors I see, I really was trying yesterday and I didn't always succeed.  I have to remember that they are not my children and my input is not always welcome.

Home school:  We had a picnic on Wednesday for our grandson's first official day of homeschooling.  As I previously mentioned, I purchased the Horizons preschool curriculum from Alpha and Omega.  I take their lesson plan and rewrite it into an outline for my daughter in law and son to follow.  Then I assemble everything they will need to complete the lessons, crafts, activities, etc.  I love doing this! It is a start and a learning process as we go along.


Work:  This past week I only worked 10 hours!  I loved it.  This is what I want and I can't seem to get right now.  The company I work for knows what I want, but we are always so short staffed.  I usually work 20 hours a week, but this week I have 35 scheduled hours.  I am going to try to whittle that down a bit to 30 and I am going to take lots of deep breaths.

Until next time!

what's going on?

We have been having a bit of a drought here along the downeast maine coast, but last night and this morning it rained A LOT!  That should help a bit!  It has also been warm and humid the last few days and this evening I have had to shut down all of the windows its so chilly.  Yesterday we cleaned the stovepipe so I know those chilly fall days are coming right along!

Home:  I have been trying really hard to keep a to-do list for all of the projects I need to do or want to do around the house.  The problem is that when I'm in the midst of one project I find more to write down so the list just grows!  But I love being home and doing home-related things, so it's a good thing!  I have been trying to pare things down a bit and simplify my life a little more so there is a box in the back of my van to take to goodwill.  That is a feeling I like.

Garden:  Julie picked a bowl full of green beans today and I picked a couple of wanky cucumbers!  I still have kale and swiss chard that I feed to my chickens because I didn't plant much.  There are a few baby bear pumpkins coming on and turning orange.  The zinnias and the cosmos are beautiful.  I didn't dry herbs this year because I still have so much from last year.  But I did make some flavored vodkas!  I made chocolate mint vodka and anise hyssop vodka.  I made simple syrup to keep in the fridge to add to it.  Yummm!

Family:  Everyone was over today and it was a wonderful day.  I wasn't sure what to make for lunch so I went through the freezer and came up with ingredients for a breakfast casserole to which I added pumpkin bread and white bread, salad, cantaloupe, and glazed carrots.  Then I made chocolate chip cookie bars and ice cream for dessert.  The boys all played well together and little miss Sophie got happily handed around the room for everyone to enjoy!  I love those times when a gathering all goes well.

Work:  I've had another stressful and somewhat aggravating week.  But there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.  At the end of this month I should be able to cut my scheduled hours back to 15.  I will probably have 20 hours still but only if I choose to.  What I really want is to be scheduled 10 hours and fill in when needed and I want.  We will see what happens.

Homeschool:  Ethan (4) will "officially" start homeschool preschool this Wednesday.  We are going to kick off the school year with a picnic and playdate at the park.  I've been preparing his lesson plans from Horizon curriculum (A & O)  I gather what is needed and give his parents the lessons to teach.  They are responsible for the extras like arts and crafts and what not.  I will keep all of these lesson plans to use for all of the rest as they come along.

Wishing everyone a terrific week!

A letter to young mothers

disclaimer:  this is written to stay at home mothers, not career women.

Dear young mother,

Don't let your kids biggest memories of growing up be of riding in the car to this activity and that activity, this adventure and that adventure.  Kids biggest memories of growing up should center around their own backyard.

No wonder the current generation of mothers is so concerned about car seats and what not!  Their kids spend endless hours strapped into them being carted all over God's green earth!

Stay home!  That's what kids want to do!  Make your adventures happen at home and make memories at home!
Stay home!  You are paying lots of money to own a home.  Live in it, love it, embrace it, and create it!!

When all of the fun times and adventures happen away from the home, then kids will be bored at home.

Stay home!  Build forts, set up a pool & sprinkler, make cookies, do crafts, etc.  And in those quiet moments when the kids are occupied in some imaginative adventure then you should.............

Get to work!  Get your housework done in bits and pieces, but get it done!  Dishes, laundry, wiping down, sweeping up, do it daily then it won't build up.  Cook big and less often.  Make a menu and shop once a week then stay out of the stores!  Spend less money that way!

A husband who works all day deserves to come home to a restful and tidy home and a meal already prepared.  This is not 1950's nostalgia, it is still 2016 reality.

You are young, you can do it!!!  you have it in you!!! I have faith that you can do it! If you get your days into a rhythm there will be harmony.

Kids do not want to be dragged around and neither do husbands.  They want their home to be their sanctuary and it is your calling in life to make it just that.

Yours truly,

Old mother

what's going on?

I thought it was time to just do a daily life kind of blog post and not an opinion piece.  Although I love to voice my opinion!

So I'm going to try to break it down into categories if I can.

Home:  I've been trying to stay home as much as I can.  Home is my sanctuary.  The last few months my job has been very stressful and very overwhelming.  This may seen  funny to some people,  considering I only work part time (20 hours), but it's the type of work I do.
So we haven't been running around on the off days and we've mostly been staying put in the evenings.

Work:  Where do I start?  For the longest time I worked my 20 hours in 2 days.  In April it changed to 20 hours in 4 days.   Then circumstances arose that have made the last few months with my client very hard to deal with.  I'm hoping that we have peaked at the worst of it and that we are going to get calm again.  This week has been the first good week in months.  I would love to cut back to 10 hours a week, but I just don't see that happening right now because staffing needs are so great.

Garden:  I've identified another mistake I've been making since we moved here.  It could be contributing to my poor gardening skills:  I've been storing my shredded leaves under a couple of pine trees.  (palm to forehead)  Have I been screwing up the PH?  maybe.
Otherwise, I'm happier with the garden than I've been since I moved here and built it.  It has been a struggle to spend enough time out there.  I still don't, but I've spent more than normal and the results show.
 *We expanded one bed and built another one.  Now all of the available space in that area is used.
 *We have been collecting cardboard and lining the paths and putting down straw, so weeds are less.  * It has been a dry summer here in this part of Maine and I water each day, but I know it's not enough and I have even begun to water less because if the dryness continues I don't want my well to draw down.
 *We did plant a row of high bush blueberries & the raspberry row we planted last year gave us tons of pickings!
 *summer squash seems to be a bust again this year.  There are just not enough bees in the middle of the woods.  I've planted a lot more flowers, but it's not enough.  So I either have to be a bee keeper or pollinate the plants myself.  I don't see either one happening in the near future so I will just buy my squash from the farmer down the road.
 * I've grown some greens to feed the chickens, but I've been shopping the farmers market to feed me!

Family:  Our family is expanding!  Grand baby #7 will be coming along in February! Joe & Luke will be welcoming a new brother or sister.
  AND our daughter and son in law are buying a piece of land 2 miles from my house, on my road, and I am beyond happy about this!  I can walk there & back!!!  I can get skinny?????  hahaha, that won't happen because my daughter will feed me when I get there!

Anyway.....that is a little glimpse into my world.  Have a restful weekend!