Laundry Soap-$16.00

I went to this site and got a new recipe for laundry soap.  The grand total rang up to under $20 for all the ingredients needed.  This girl did 8 loads of laundry a week and it this batch lasted her 9 months.  For under $20!  I timed myself and it took me under 15 minutes to mix the powders and grate the soap.

Our local Wal-Mart has been carrying all these ingredients on the laundry soap aisle.  BUT, they were out of Borax and Fels-Naptha today.  Seems we're all going granola around here.  They'll be getting more ingredients in within the week.

Grating your soap is the most time consuming part.  The soaps recommended were Fels-Naptha, Zote or Ivory.  I chose 3 bars of Fels-Naptha.  It smells GREAT.  You literally mix a box of Super Washing Soda,  a big box of Baking Soda, a box of Borax, 2 boxes of Oxyclean (I used off brand), and 3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap (grated).

A little scoop came in my Oxyclean (1 Tablespoon).  You put 1 TBSP into each load and that is it.

I used 2 big bowls to mix my powders and soap, then put it into my empty Tide box.

This is what it looked like in the water.

Not soapy or sudsy.  I wandered how I would feel about that but after putting in all the Oxyclean and baking soda it feels like it is going to be awesome!

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle

2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

(this is optional, I added it into mine because I have pretty messy kids and the cleaner the better)

(you can also use pink Zote soap instead of Fels-Naptha. I had really wanted to but could not find it anywhere) **Update: My sister found pink Zote soap at Home Depot**

Be Careful What You Read

I have had this "coffee table" book for a couple of years.  I probably bought it because the cover was pretty and I like simplicity.

Several nights ago I decided to dust it off and actually start reading it.

Something in my spirit was not feeling right as I read.  Red flags were going up as I read but I could not discern why.  Some of the things I was reading felt right, there are Bible verses in the book, but I was unsettled as I read.

Today I decided to Google the author to see if I could find out why the flags were going up inside of me.

Here is what part of the author's bio said, "Candy’s open approach to spirituality draws insight and wisdom from many spiritual traditions."

Dadgumit, I knew it.  I knew something was not right about this book.  There are some treasures I uncovered.  BUT, even though I'm just in the beginning stages of a beautiful covered book that has some truth in it, I'm throwing the book away.

We live in a world where the enemy wants to clutter our minds with things that are not truth.  I'm not willing to finish this book (even though part of me wants to and I hate to throw a pretty book away), but it is not a chance I am willing to take.

We need to fill our minds only with things that are truth.  Some would accuse me of being narrow minded and I am OK with that.

The Truth, found in The Word (John 14) clearly says that Jesus is the only way.  The only way to get to the heart of God.  Jesus is the only way to have relationship with God.  The world says let's draw a little from here and a little from there.  That is not what God calls us to.

So, be careful what you are reading.  Be careful what you are letting your babies read.  And, if you have to throw away a pretty book in the process, do it.

I'd rather err on the side of only filling my mind with truth.  The world and its influence is already loud enough around me, I don't need to willfully add to it by reading something that is not fully pointing me toward the one and only God.

So long book.  We're going to try to fill our home with only things that honor God and point us towards His Heart alone.  There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved than Jesus.

(p.s. spell check is telling me I have misspelled Dadgumit, how do you spell it?)

So Many Things

There are so many things I needed to do today.

Like lesson plans, grading papers (haven't tackled since before the Holidays LAST YEAR), and grocery shopping.

Nothing says I love you like plenty of toilet paper and we have one roll left.

It's been 10 days since I grocery shopped and I'm a once a weeker.

That's why we had Ramen noodles, one pizza from the freezer, leftover fettucini, little smokies and applesauce for lunch.

My fridge is clean as a whistle now.

I use that term lightly because what I'm really trying to say it's empty.

This morning when I was being "matter of fact Mommy" I knew a nap was for sure on the agenda today.

What? You don't know "matter of fact Mommy?"

It's the tired me. The one where I am not nice or mean, but I'm not playing around either.  And they know it.

Considering how tired I feel today, it's been a semi-productive day.

The clothes got washed. Lunch was unearthed from out of nowhere, a list for the store is made, dinner is cooking and everyone slept.   Not bad.

Discipleship Tuesday

Today was the first day of Daddy/Son discipleship time.  These two guys headed off to the Christian book store to get our son a new Bible.  His old one was falling apart.

Next, they were off to get $5 salads at one of our favorite restaurants.

Each week a different son will get to go with Dad for a special time of reading the Word and discipleship.

I always thought as the wife I set the main tone in the home.  But I'll tell you what, my husband taking leadership in this is setting a bigger tone than I ever could.

My husband is reading the entire Bible through in 3 months.

I do not want to take one ounce of credit for the things going on in our home but I do want to let you in on a little secret.

Ask for things you want to see.

Ask GOD for it.

For years, I have prayed a prayer over my husband.  That he would crave God and His Word.  He has always read the Word, but boy, there's a bigger stirring in his heart right now.

ASK GOD for what you need.

For what you desire to see in your home.

ASK God for change.

He will provide for your needs today.

Here's my big boy reading out of his new Bible!

Snow Storm 2012

Last week we had a Dinner and Dance fundraiser which kept us busy at church cooking and decorating.  We had Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, candles, chocolate and fun dancing.

After a busy fun filled weekend of basketball games and birthday parties today was a nice day of rest.  It snowed and we had our traditional Honey Oatmeal Bread when we came in from playing.

Naps, fire, hot cocoa, a house cluttered with gloves, hats, coats and wet clothes is how we spent our day.

The boys left for practice tonight and I got busy picking up the place, lighting candles, and getting dinner on. 

The kids are in bed and me and the Mr. are watching our Ma and Pa movies-the Love Come Softly series we like to check out from the church library when it snows.

They always make me want to make beef stew and biscuits.

Land Of The Free, Home Of The Brave

I don't need God.

That's how I've lived anyway.

I mean, I want to need God, but my actions have spoken another truth.  The ugly truth is that I've become independent from Him.  Put myself into positions where I meet my own needs.  If there is a need, I meet it.  Being self-sufficient has become the normal way.

I've been thinking about us as Americans and our lives being defined as the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I think we could also call it the "Land Of The ME, Home Of The Slave".

People want to come here for opportunity but is it?

Looking around, even at my own life, is it all about Me?  Making myself and my family comfortable?  Setting up our little kingdom so we'll be set?  And is fear chaining us down so we're slaves to it?  I can't give extravagently, then I'd be out of control.  I can't go to a new place with God because then I'd be out of control.  Hmmm, I'm not sure if I want to relinquish the reigns of my life.

After reading Katie's book and seeing a glimpse into a Third World Country, I'm seeing the black and white difference between what it looks like to need God and what it looks like to meet my own needs.

He showed me I had been drinking the watered down cup, but living independently from Him, that was a blow to the ol' spiritual ego.  Katie came back to America for a few months and here is what she said:

"The biggest shock to my system, the huge disconnect, is that I have stepped out of my reliance on God to meet my needs.  I "miss" Jesus.  He hasn't disappeared, of course, but I feel so far from Him because my life is actually functioning without Him."

I get that.  It makes sense.  We can love Jesus.  Go to church.  Volunteer.  Go to Bible study.  Be nice.  Give an offering.  Say prayers with our kids.  Teach them right vs. wrong.  And we can do it all in our own strength, if we're not careful.

So, I read a verse in I Cor. yesterday.  It said the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of POWER.

I love quizzes, always have.  You want to take a quiz to see how you're doing?  Look at today or back up and think about yesterday.  Did you see God's power?  Did you need Him? 

Do you need Him?

If you want to live a life of power this side of heaven you do.  If you want to see God's glory shine from your one life you do.

That is why the cross is so powerful.  Jesus gives life to the dead things in your life and mine.  We're always only one conversation with God away from being in His Presence and headed toward His will.

Watered Down

My son was sick a couple weeks ago.  One thing was on my mind to help him get better.  Give him lots and lots of fluids.  Orange juice is what sounded the best to him, so orange juice he got.  But, I did not give him glass after glass of straight up orange juice.  I watered it down-a lot.  Half water, half juice.  I did not want it to hurt his tummy.

After several days he was not even questioning the watered down juice I was giving him.  He took the cup and drank without question.  Have you ever tasted watered down juice?  Let me tell you, it is does not leave you wanting more.

As I filled watered down sippy cups with half juice half water, I began wandering about my faith.  Have I been drinking the cup of watered down faith?  Have I drank the cup so long I don't even realize the flavor is gone and I've been living on-as my pastor put it yesterday-a cheap substitute?

The is no comparison to a cup of half juice half water and a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice fresh from the tree.  I want to drink from the cup of the hand of God, and I believe my days will reveal the change. 

My friend Becke' loaned me the book, Kisses from Katie.  I hadn't even made it through the prologue before I was under deep conviction and the words-Watered Down Faith are what kept playing through my mind.  As I talked on the phone with my friend today, we wandered out loud-can you really serve God the way he wants you to in America?  Neither of us had an answer.

All the wealth and conveniences are blinding.  Don't you want to live a life that makes a mark on the world for Jesus?

You ask me what the will of God is,
And I will answer true
It is the nearest thing that should be done
That God can do through you!

So, today I will cook meals and clean them up.  I will wash and fold the laundry.  I will work with little boys teaching them how to make a cursive capital letter I, how to make a little p, and how to add double digit numbers.  I'll talk with my neighbor when I go outside to get the mail.  Tonight, I'll gather with friends and we will pray together for God's glory to be shown.  And all the while, I'll be asking God for a favor.  To please not let me be complacent.  To give me eyes to see opportunity.

Last week my Bible study teacher said your neighbor is anyone God puts in your path with a need that you have the means to meet.  I'll pray for God to let me see others.  I will ask him to take away the watered down and replace it with that which really satisfies.