A Bit of a Change

 

Beauty.  : )

Hello!  I just wanted to drop in to say that I've been thinking of something different for my blogposts in the weeks and months ahead.  I am still a homemaker, but I feel like I don't have a lot to offer in that area only because we are all homemakers and all homemakers do things differently in their homes.  We all clean the same rooms of a house but we may all go about it differently.  We have all felt the need this month to roll our sleeves up and go through our stuff and organize and pare down a bit and even in that I think we tend to go at it in our different ways.  So, other than the occasional tip now and then (which I think you've probably heard about already so it's not a huge revelation), I think I've gone as far as I can go in that.

So, this is what I've been thinking about.  I've titled my blog Homemaker's Thoughts and the bit of a change I'm thinking of will still fit in with that.  There are a lot of things that I think about whilst going about my day.  I have interests that I want to share a bit more thoroughly rather than randomly.  I don't exactly want a rigid format to follow because that takes the fun out of it, but I do think I've narrowed it down to these topics:

1.  Book reviews.  I try very hard to always have a book to read.  My need to read is strong and I don't belong to a book club (although I would love to start one) so I would like to let you know what I'm reading and give my thoughts on it.  Letting you know if I thought it was worth the read and maybe give you the motivation to check it out (or not) as well.

2.  Recipes.  And this one surprises me because I'm not a fantastic cook and I admit that I don't really enjoy cooking but I do like to try recipes and if they are good I get kind of excited about it and want to share them.  I always appreciate menu ideas from others so maybe I can share those as well.

3.  Bible verses/helps.  There is no more important book than the Bible.  It is God's word to us.  And if I can give you some verses that have been of help to me, I want to let you know too.  

4.  Craft information.  As you know, I love my crafting time.  I'm interested in a lot of different things and want to share this with you as well.  I know that I'm motivated when others share what they are working on but I also appreciate it when they tell you more about it - the type of fabric, the colors they are using, where they got the pattern, etc.  So, I want to do that for you too.

At this point, these four topics are what I'm going to focus on and see how well it goes.  I'm not a very fast reader, so depending on the size of the book I may not be as regular with that.  As far as recipes, since I feel like this is kind of a "starting new" don't be surprised if I've posted some of those recipes before but hopefully will give you new ones.  And, of course, I need to cook our family's old standbys so I can't try new recipes all the time!  I know you get what I'm saying.  With this new idea it will be kind of an experiment for a while until I can get into a rhythm and see what works and what doesn't so I hope you will stick with me until I figure it out!  

That's it for today - just wanted to let you know what's coming.  Hope this is finding you well.  See you soon!!!

God bless.

Mary

January Is For Diving In

 

Pretty.  : )

From other bloggers that I read, it seems like we all have one thing in common......once January comes, we dive in and get things done.  There is something about January that gets us moving.  We want to organize and get rid of things.  We want to try new things with cooking.  We want to clean.  We want to plan.

For me, along with all of the above things, I use January to dive into my crafting and sewing.  I use January as an excuse to get into bed early with a good book and read until I fall asleep.  It's a busy month but can also be a creative and restful month.  The way the months fly by, it will be Spring before we know it and then there will be the outdoor work that needs to be done and we'll wish we had a few more January days!

I have mentioned in past posts that when I do my purging and organizing, I begin at our front door and work around the room and then go on to the next room.  Going through closets and drawers, cabinets and cupboards until the time that I feel that what I have kept is what I'm going to use and/or love.  Yesterday I found only a couple of things in a dresser by the front door but a couple of things out of that dresser is great!  Now............not bringing anything back in is the challenge.  Not that I go out and shop all the time, but I feel I need to be even better about being mindful of what we really need rather than just getting something because it's a good deal.

Some of the things that I've been doing:

1.  Filling out blank monthly calendar pages to use as daily, weekly, and monthly reminders of what I need to do.  

2.  Writing down all the crafty/sewing projects that I want to work on and putting them into a jar to pick from every day and try to work on.  I have so many interests that I don't get to.  Once I'm working on a certain project I just keep on with that and then I look at all the other things that I'm not getting to and feel a bit anxious about it.  It's really working well and if I just can't work on what I pulled from the jar that day I leave until the next day or until there is time.  And then when I've worked on that particular thing, the piece of paper with that idea goes into another jar which means I've worked on it and it will go back into circulation again.  It has worked well so far and I feel like I'm getting to all my interests instead of having them just sit.

The projects that I wrote down are:  rag quilts, candle-making, soap-making, yo-yo's, grandmother octagon quilt blocks, making embellishments for cards, making cards, sewing clothes, knitting prayer shawls, crocheting quilt blocks, felt applique, and embroidery.  And then every evening I work on cross stitch no matter what.

Here are a few examples:

Lavender and oatmeal goat's milk soap.

Wool applique.

Embroidery.

 

Cross stitch.

Making things brings such joy and contentment.  To see things come together is so fun.

I've also been printing out recipes that I want to try.  I'm pretty much cooking the same things that I've already shared with you, but when I begin to try those new things, I'll let you know!  When I was going through my huge notebook that holds all my recipes, I can't believe that I still look for more, but I get tired very quickly of making the same things so I can't wait to start on the new.

I'm also planning.  I got my first seed catalog in the mail and I'm trying to think back on what worked and what didn't in our garden(s) - both flowers and food.  I find myself watching P. Allen Smith on YouTube for all kinds of advice and write down any notes that pertains to us.  I have lots of ideas!  With 15 inches of snow on the ground, it's hard to imagine green grass and fertile soil right now.  LOL

I'm going through my books and magazines to find "recipes" for homemade health and beauty products.  The more I find out about what's going into things that we use on a daily basis, the more I want to make those products myself.  Even with the soap that I made (above) I found out that the soap base I used has the very thing that I'm trying to eliminate!  I really felt bad about that.  So I will just use those for scenting drawers and closets with.  Now I'm on the lookout for an organic soap base and start all over again.  That's okay.....it's how we learn.  : )

My husband and I didn't give gifts for Christmas this year.  Instead, we splurged and bought a treadmill.  The winter is way too long not to walk and we've really been liking it.  So that's another thing I have on my mind this month - ways to maintain our health through exercise, supplements, and good food.

The book that I've been reading lately is:

SO good.  I try to read after lunch and this is what I curl up with at night.  I received it for Christmas and I'm really enjoying it.  When I put it down (as with all good literature) I'm amazed at how God gave certain authors the gift of writing.  I'm amazed at that.

Well, I think that's about all I had to share with you.  Not much, but it's been a while since I posted so I wanted to do something.  Today is a day of, once again, keeping up with going through things.  I have to clean the oven, make beef stew, and work on one of those crafty projects (hmmmm........I wonder which one I'll pull out of the jar today?).  : )

God bless you all.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I wish you well and I hope you have a good weekend ahead.

Love,

Mary

A Winter Wonderland

 

Pretty, isn't it?  I know I have to be careful to whom I say that because, for most people, it's a LOT of work to remove it!  The first day of the storm was fun.  By the third day......not so much. LOL

Hello!  I just wanted to pop in to say "hi" and to wish you a somewhat belated "Happy New Year".  I hope this is finding you doing okay and that you had a blessed Christmas.  I know for some, this was a difficult holiday season due to loss, illness, finances, etc., so please let me say that I know what that feels like and my heart goes out to you.  2022 was a difficult year for me as well and when another new year came around I felt somewhat pessimistic - I mean, with the turning of a calendar page it doesn't automatically mean that we'll be healed, or that we'll come into a lot of money, or our grieving stops.  No, we carry it into the new year.  

However.......in knowing this, I have a better feeling about this year than I've had for quite a while.  In this past difficult year, my personal relationship with Jesus has grown.  The Bible has been my hope and encouragement and I've learned so many lessons from it.  I've read through the Bible many times but this past year I REALLY read it.  I took a lot of notes and prayed over it.  There were a lot of "aha" moments that I never noticed before.  I'm VERY grateful and thankful for that!

I prayed for a lot of people and circumstances this past year. Not all of my prayers were answered the way I would have hoped, but He answered according to what He wanted and though I sometimes don't understand that as well as I would like to, it's where my faith is.  Trusting Him in and through it all  - knowing that one day all of our questions will be answered and we will see for ourselves how He "worked all things together for good".  Yes, I still ask Him how certain things that happen can be for our good when all I see is the NOT good.  And, he's okay with our questions while all the time remembering that He is God and there is to be reverence in that.  We need to know (remember) to whom we are speaking. 

So, as we are almost finished with the first week of January, we can still hope and pray for our friends and family and country and world in this year 2023.  Let's not give up on that.  Let's keep encouraging each other to stay on our knees. I heard someone say that people still aren't praying with fervency because we aren't desperate enough yet.  Well, my goodness, to that I say how much worse do you want it to get?!  Pray for eyes and hearts to be open to the Gospel and for many to come to faith in Christ.  Jesus specifically says in the Bible that no one comes to the Father EXCEPT through Him.  So let's do this and wait in expectation for the deliverance God will bring us!!!  

I was thinking about all the people who are suddenly dying "unexpectedly" and how that should make all of us stop and think about our mortality and where we will go if we suddenly die.  Are we ready to meet Jesus and live forever with him?  Or, are we going to be forever without Him?  Or, let's say we still have time left on this earth, what will happen when Jesus comes back to earth to take us to Heaven?  Will He take us with Him, or will we be left behind in the crazy world we live in(which will only get worse)?  Time is ticking away and we need to start asking these questions.  When it's done, it's done and that's it.  Please take it seriously because it is.  The Bible says that "today is the day of salvation" - don't put it off.

Hope to see you soon for more posts!  God bless.

Mary