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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Flies be gone!!!

Mark and I were having fruit fly issues and I needed and wanted to get rid of them. However I didn't want sticky tape hanging from anything and I'm not big on putting things around my house that says do not ingest. After some research I came upon something I was willing to try and had things I already had on hand or were inexpensive.

Things you will need:
*container (I use glass, but plastic is probably OK)
*warm water
*vinegar
*about a tablespoonish of honey


Pour about a 1/8 cup of vinegar in your container (you can eye it, it's not exact science), then add warm water (warm water helps the honey to dissolve) to the container. Pour your honey in the container, and stir. Set on counter or windowsill and allow the concoction to lure in those pest flies! While I have noticed it draws mostly fruit fly, it will occasionally draw in the bigger flies.

I cried out to the LORD this morning...

When I am weak and have nothing else to give,
is usually when God is able to work the greatest in my life!

I could run and hide, bury deep within a book.
I could shove my pain, way down deep inside.
Deny the pain and rejection, tell myself I am not lonely.
But I would be lying and my soul knows it.
I cannot be what he needs when wallowing in self-pity.
Giving without the need to receive is this realistic.
Giving without the need to have it given back, is ONLY accomplished with your mighty hand.
It is impossible to give any part of me, if my God is not filling me up and directing my heart.
I am weak and needy, I am a plant in the sprint sucking nutrients from the earth,
needing water and sun.
I am weak; I need your strength, O Mighty One!
I have nothing to give, I am nothing!
Give me all I need today, fill me up.
O Lord, let my lips be filled with sweet nectar.
O Lord, let my heart overflow with love and patience.
Come near to me, be a bulwark and shield to me.
Your love is everlasting; I come to bask in your presence.
I come to hide in the shadow of your wings.
Teach me when to be silent and when to speak.
Teach me to wait on your timing.
Let me shine for you today
Let me be a beacon in a dark world.
Let me be what my husband and my children need today.
I am needy myself today, selfishness is not far from me.
My selfishness shouts I need, I need, I want, I want.
Align my wants and my needs with your truths, truths that bring freedom.
I need you today LORD, I want you to today LORD!
Help me to serve today, as Jesus served!
Without you LORD, I am nothing.
I hide in the shadow of your wings today LORD!
I wait and watch the miracles you do in me today!
I wait and watch the energy you pour into me!
I wait and watch you transform me today!
I wait and watch my relationship with YOU deepen today!
I wait and watch the Almighty work today!
He is faithful, He is lovingkindness, He is hope, He is steadfast, and He loves even me!




Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Homemade Jam vs. store bought Jams

Honestly, the only thing store bought Jam/Jelly has over homemade is that it's convenient. To me, that is not a good enough reason to not make my own. The perks of homemade anything is that you know what is in it and more importantly what is NOT in it! I first experimented with homemade jams/jellies last spring and fall when berries were plentiful on the bushes. On my first jam/jelly maiden voyage, I read and reread the recipe to make sure that I had all my ducks somewhat in a row and I was somewhat confident of each step. The first batch I was nervous that I would mess something up and it wouldn't turn out. Which was completely silly because as I completed each step I realized how simple it really was.

My sister got me the Canning book  "Balls complete Book of Home Preserving". Along with some canning tools. Little did I know that they would come in handy with jam and jelly making. However, if you do not have a canning book, no problem, there are websites like home-canning.com and blogs such as foodinjars.com out there to guide you with recipes, hints, and tips.

My recommendation is start simple, get your feet wet, build confidence with an easy recipe and work your way to more difficult, time consuming recipes.

Perks of homemade jams and jellies:
* You know what is in them and what is NOT in them!
*It is cost effective when you watch for the berries to go on sale or
  if you pick them yourself and freeze them for later use.
* If you get real good at it your friends will want to buy it from you. :)
* The variety of jams/jellies you can come up with is endless! Today I made mango-strawberry jam because it's the kind of berries and fruit I had on hand.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

What I learned during one of those days...

Yesterday was one of those days. For starters we opened the twins bedroom door to find Naomi naked and poop from head to toe, with poop footprints on the floor. Then later, because she is potty training I had put her in a pull up for ease of going potty. She ended up pooping in her pull up which had dropped to her ankles from the weight of the poop. As Naomi was playing on the bed with Maddie she had some how fallen off backwards and hit her head on the floor. Shortly after that Titus' piggy bank some how fell off the dresser and shattered into a million pieces. As I was homeschooling Maddie, she continued to have meltdown after meltdown. Titus was whinny and clingy, adding to the frustration of trying to scrub poop footprints from the carpet, taking the bedding off of Titus and Naomi's bed and putting clean sheets on.

How did I get through the morning? I cried, I laughed, I prayed and cried out to the Lord. I got through because the Holy Spirit was faithful to remind me to slow down and be ok with not getting done what I had wanted to get done. Because the Holy Spirit reminded me that my kids are only small for a short time. He reminded me that while I may not get much done that he is faithful to help me get done what needs to get done later. I got through because God is faithful and cares about mommies drowning in stinky, nasty, poop footprints. God cares about mommies who's children are having meltdowns, God cares about mommies who are feeling suffocated by their little ones clingyness.

On a day like this...oh...I need the LORD to help me! One of the valuable things I have learned being a wife and a mommy is to cry out to God for wisdom in the midst of the crazy things that happen. When my children all decide to revolt at the same time, when Mark is busy and stressed at work and cannot meet my needs, when I'm feeling lonely. Whatever the circumstance, God has taught me to cry out to Him and let Him fill me up, pick me up, clean me up. In crying out to God, abiding in Him, I am developing an intimacy with Him I have never experienced before and it's amazing.

Are your kids ganging up on you today? Do you have poop prints on your carpet? Are you lonely? Are you scared? Cry out to the Lord for wisdom, comfort, and peace. He gives to all abundantly when we ask and seek Him! Seek Him, He is waiting for you!

After a morning of craziness, I gave the kids an early lunch, they went down for early naps, and the afternoon turned out much different than the morning had went. I dressed the kiddos in their grubby clothes, put their mud boots on, and off we went out into the amazing spring afternoon. The kids got to taste mud encrusted ice chips, eat plenty of mud, splash in puddles. They made mud pies, and slid on ice. We watched and listened to birds, we saw squirrels. The Lord heard my heart and answered with mud puddles and laughter! He turned my tears into laughter. I left the laundry, instead of tracing letters Maddie and I made brownies together. The day did not go as I had planned, but that's OK, it went as God planned, and He is amazing at planning. It's freeing when I can embrace what God wants done from day to day, even if it's different than my day planner.