Archive for March 19, 2009

19 Mar 2009

Uncategorized

Memo From Your Child

Don’t spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all that I ask for. I’m testing you.
Don’t be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it; it makes me feel more secure.
Don’t let me form bad habits. I have to rely on you to detect them in the early stages.
Don’t make me feel smaller than I really am. It only makes me behave stupidly “big”.
Don’t correct me in front of people if you can help it. I’ll take much more notice if you talk to me privately.
Don’t make me feel my mistakes are sins. It upsets my sense of values.
Don’t protect me from consequences. I sometimes have to learn the painful way.
Don’t be too upset when I say, “I hate you.” It isn’t you I hate, but your power to thwart me.
Don’t take too much notice of my small ailments. Sometimes they get me the attention I need.
Don’t nag. If you do, I shall have to protect myself by appearing deaf.
Don’t forget that I can not explain myself as well as I should like; this is why I’m not always accurate.
Don’t make rash promises. Remember that I feel badly let down when promises are broken.
Don’t tax my honesty too much. I am easily frightened into telling lies.
Don’t be inconsistent. That completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you.
Don’t tell me my fears are silly. They are terribly real to me and you can do much to reassure me if you try to understand.
Don’t put me off when I ask questions. If you do, you will find that I stop asking and get my information elsewhere.
Don’t ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. It gives me too great a shock when I discover that you are neither.
Don’t ever think it is beneath your dignity to apologize to me. An honest apology makes me feel surprisingly warm toward you.
Don’t forget how quickly I am growing up. It must be difficult to keep pace with me, but please, do try.
Don’t forget that I love experimenting. I couldn’t get along without it so please put up with it.
Don’t forget that I can’t thrive without lots of understanding love, but I don’t need to tell you that do I?

by Thomas C. Ritt, Jr., Arizona ACLD Newsletter December, 1975

Sunflower Faith | 2 comments

19 Mar 2009

Uncategorized

The Perfectly Chocolate Cake I didn't make

Okay, I wasn’t able to make the chocolate cake that I usually make the night before my husband is due home and the oven is officially a goner till we replace the coil.

Hershey.com" src="http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii186/sunflowerfaith/showImageasp.jpg" alt="Image Copyright by Hershey.com; Very delicious just to look at" width="170" height="125" />

Image Copyright by Hershey.com; Very delicious just to look at

Stove is working fine, but the oven is kaput.

So to share what I can’t have in real life, but can in virtual life, here is the “Perfectly” Chocolate Cake by Hershey.

HERSHEY’S “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
“PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

“PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Sunflower Faith | 2 comments | Tags: Chocolate Cake, Hershey, Homekeeping

18 Mar 2009

Uncategorized

Broke the oven

It was actually funny that Laurie of “Magnolia Heartbeat” mention the chocolate cake because I was fixing to post about that.

See.

Uhm.

Uh.

I broke the oven last night while making cookies.

Yes, I know, how did I do that?

Even my FIL is stumped and was stumped when I called him; There’s suggestion that I may have to be either start using a grill for everything (well then there is concern about needing the fire department) or I’m supervised while using the oven.

No clue what happen.

Everything was fine.

They were just chocolate chip and macedemia cookies.

I went to check on them and saw this yellow and orange spark going down the coil.

First thought, TURN OFF THE OVEN.

As I did, the spark faded out and the coil it traveled half collapsed.

So there’s half a coil now.

Nice.

Money is tight as is and this happens.

Praise God that the stove is still working (Hubby kidded over the phone that everytime he leaves time, I break something), but there went my hopes for the chocolate cake.

Hmmm…guess don’t have to worry about the sharing part.

However, cooking will be creative till we can get the part that we need.

Ever feel like that in your everyday life?

Swimming enough to keep your head out of the water, or you think, disaster averted and you can skirt by enough till you can get things together, then something like a burnt coil gets thrown in your life.

Luke 6:46

“But why do you call Me `Master, Master,’ and do not do the things which I say? “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. “But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

It’s easy to just throw your hands up in the air, or accept the defeat and say, “I can’t do this”,”Why am I doing this” and just walk away, but our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He could have given up on us but didn’t.

He doesn’t want us to do the same and think it’s over; It’s never.

We have to learn to not think one way and one way only or we are destined to fail before we even trying.

We can’t hold our bibles and say we believe, but never open it up and when trials and tribulations come our way, like the man who heard and did nothing, we would be swept away easily, but when we listen to God’s word an apply it like the man who, though it took work and no doubt, time and sweat and tears, his faith was set so deep in the foundation, it could not be swept away and he was prepared.

There is little doubt that yes, he was on a temporary island, but because he KNEW what God wanted, he was ready for anything.

So what does this have to do with a broke oven?

Improvise.

There’s a lot of meals that will be cooked on the stove top till next paycheck, but no sweat.

Like I take the time to really read God’s word and apply it and not just say it, I know in advance that there are still good and healthy meals that can be made without the oven.

(1 Timothy 4:15-16 NIV) Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. [16] Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

(2 Timothy 4:3-4 NIV) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Hey, at one time, we didn’t even have electric or gas ovens and the women before us had to cook over a fire.

So no matter what we are still blessed and yes, I’m not getting my chocolate cake as I had hoped for, but from whatever it was that I did…I did learn a valuable lesson.

There may come a day my faith will be tested and the word of God will not be available at my hand and then won’t be the time to start reading up on God’s word to know what His word has to say or to “work on my Christian life”.

Hosea 4:6a (NIV) my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

Now is the time.

There is no excuse to not only read God’s word but to apply it, honestly and actively in my life and not just sit by the sidelines thinking, not today or what will other people think.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-5 (NIV)

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.

What will our Heavenly Father think if we are caught unaware and the wall of water comes our way. Will we be prepared?

1 Timothy 4:15-16( NIV)

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Sunflower Faith | 2 comments | Tags: "Christian Life", broken oven, General Musings

18 Mar 2009

Word-Filled Wednesday

Word Filled Wednesday

I miss him.

I know he is coming home soon, as a matter of fact, I’m picking him up at the airport, but I miss my best friend.

I don’t sleep that well and become more of a night owl while he is gone.

I check my phone every five minutes for a text message, a call, something, though I know with his work, that’s not possible.

I mope, the kids and I play and I make chocolate cake with too rich, chocolate frosting to deal with him not being gone.

That and I don’t have to share the cake with him, but don’t tell him that; He thinks I just make it for comfort…I do.

It’s comfort food; Comfort I don’t have to share it, muhahahhaha; Okay, I do share it with the kids and when he gets back,but while he’s gone, it’s all mine.

Sigh.

I miss him.

I know he knows and I try not to let him know that I know that he knows.

Meanwhile, I count down the hours to when I get to pick him up from the airport today….Cake at home waiting for him, although missing a few slices and has a few finger smudges in it.

Thank you Heavenly Father for my best friend, my husband.

We have our differences but we have our similarities which makes it all the richer and scarier our relationship.

He is the only person who knows what I’m thinking or feeling and still asks anyway.

He can finish a thought or sentence and have that “Did I just do that look?”

He’s not perfect and I love him all the more for that, because I’m not perfect and he loves me.

He loves our Heavenly Father and I share that love for Our Heavenly Father though it wasn’t always a perfect ride, but I thank God, I rode that ride with him and our Heavenly Father.

He is still growing and so am I.

My knees are still worn from still praying for and with him and I gladly still do it.

Yes, I’m being so sugary that your blood sugar and maybe, yuck, level is probably rising and you want him to hurry up home so I would just stop, but I miss him.

Did I tell you I miss him and that he’ll be home soon and I love him and oh , I’m going to have to share the chocolate cake with him won’t I?

Join AmyDeanne and others at "Word Filled Wednesday"

Sunflower Faith | 21 comments | Tags: husband, marriage, prayer, scripture, the 160 acre woods, Word-Filled Wednesdays

18 Mar 2009

Uncategorized

21 Days Challenge

This is definetely something that is a challenge and a worthwhile at one.

Lately my husband and I have really taken a step back and inventory our lives and our walk with our Heavenly Father, and for me personally, I’ve always felt that I haven’t done enough to challenge myself to be a better wife that I felt our Heavenly Father wanted me to be and be that better partner to my husband.

There were plenty of things I felt I needed to work and needed to change.

Particularly with joining our new Church home, I have felt challenged to step out of my comfort zone, step out of my fears and stop finding excuses why I can’t and start realizing that I can and will through and in Jesus Christ and the true thing that was stopping me, was no one else but me.

Philippians 4:13 (New International Version)-I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Just as I’ve taken time to organize and I mean really organize the kids homeschool materials and supplies, I realize, those are steps that I can take and invest in NOW, to streamline our lives better.

However, the biggest thing, since attending this church, is really being very convicting how we are walking together as a couple, as a family and as individuals in our walk with our Heavenly Father and the biggest thing for me, as a Christan and as a woman, was exploring not only Proverbs 31 and learning from it what I can and should do as a wife, a mohter and an individual, but take a closer look at the biblical concept of submission and how I was and wasn’t applying it.

Part of that was being honest and asking those hard questions of “Am I wanting my cake and eat it too?”, “Who do I care more about: What the world thinks and has decided what being a female is about or what does our Heavenly Father wants and really taking it to heart…We can’t have our cake and eat it too…We have to make a choice.

One of the things I am embarking on and it will take more time then 21 days (Lol), is growing my hair out; Secondly, re-looking at how I dress and how I define what is modest and what really isn’t.

Reading blogs such as Christa Taylor’s “Empowered Traditionalist” has been a great source of help as well as the blog, “Is this Modest?” and more than anything, “Christian Homekeeping”‘s article, “A Good Wife“,”Diva Mentality” and “A Crown to Your Husband“.

So my challenge is to gain a better understanding of what the bible means by submission to our husbands and put it to practice and just teach myself how to be a better role model for my kids and just allow God to grow me as He wants to grow me and not how I want to grow myself.

Sunflower Faith | 2 comments

17 Mar 2009

Uncategorized

Carnival of Homeschooling #168: The Blarney Edition

Drop by “The Homeschool Cafe” where they are having a “Blarney Edition” of their Homeschooling carnival.

This is my first time participating (can’t you tell), where my post,”Homeschool Filing and more” is featured.

If you would like to participate in the next Carnival, drop by,Why Homeschool for information about where to send submissions.

Sunflower Faith | 2 comments | Tags: Carnival Of Homeschooling

17 Mar 2009

"Christian Life"

When the belt tightens, the heart looks up more

Things have been pretty tight; Well more than pretty tight, but despite that, we’ve really just, found ourselves, looking more and more to our Heavenly Father.

Not because of the old adage that in a bad economy, people find God, but because in a bad economy, we really learn what we can learn to live with and without, how to be smarter financially, and to make do when we can.

Not just with homeschooling, but with everything, I’ve found myself just having to learn to compromise, to improvise and just leave it in Our Heavenly Father’s hand, when we just really wasn’t to sure, and through it, it hit me just how far we’ve gone in our walk with our Heavenly Father.

For the longest time, there was concern about my husband’s company and praise God, his work is spared, for now, but it definetely required a lot of prepare for the worse, hope for the best and trust and know God is in control no matter what.

With all of us, in this great country, our Heavenly Father has blessed us to be living in, still on that wild wave of never knowing, on top of gardening and homeschooling, I’ve been trying to learn tips and ways to save, be frugal and prepare.

I came across this following article in the process and wanted to share with many of you, who like myself, find ourselves, praying today for tomorrow and trusting God with everything.

Meanwhile…meat loaf anyone?

Treasure Seeker
By Teresa Lee Rainey

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (St. Matthew 6:19-21 KJV)

I’m not satisfied

Seeking worldly possessions.

Attaining treasures?

Earthly wealth leaves emptiness.

True riches can’t be measured.

Counting riches seemed simple enough to me. The check came in twice a month and that same money went right back out to pay the bills. The treasures attained through those bills were necessities, right? We had a roof over our heads, food on the table, adequate transportation, and current, ‘critical’ communication devices.

When our income was greatly increased by a promotion, we praised God for our blessings. Now we could afford even greater treasures. Forget necessities! I had wants and desires. Never mind that those desires to attain bigger, greater things created bigger, greater debt.

Counting riches still seemed simple enough. More money came in. More money went right back out.

I can’t justify

Hording treasures here on earth.

That joy won’t survive.

‘Here today, gone tomorrow.’

Objects wasted when I die.

Justifying all our needs and desires came easy as well. A large and beautifully decorated home was certainly a must for entertaining. Living without the latest electronics: computers, televisions, games and cellular phones in this age of technology, would render us socially disabled. Surviving the children’s schedules with only one vehicle would be unthinkable!

Why not simplify?

Seek only for essentials.

Try feeling content.

Find joy in simple pleasures.

Wealth used wisely is well spent.

Maybe it would be impossible to survive without a second vehicle, but with another car payment on “Mom’s dream car”, we would have been throwing any attempt at budgeting out the window.

Contentment was not the feeling that came with giving up the vehicle of my dreams, but I must admit a joy in knowing our new attempt at budgeting was not compromised.

Can I realize?

Some treasures offer comfort

To a soul in need.

Wealth can be used in wisdom

When spent gently in good deed.

No, budgeting did not come easy. However, as we prayed and settled into a budgeting routine, we began to feel the need for an even greater leap of faith. Giving tithes was not out of the question after all.

Writing that check was extremely difficult at first. There was little comfort in realizing that our money was being used for others with greater needs than our own.

After continued prayer over our tithing decision; however, we began to reluctantly realize that what we had was not our money at all. God blessed us with all that we had, all that we had was His, and we were still keeping the majority of what He gave us.

I am satisfied

Seeking Heaven’s possessions.

Attaining treasures!

God’s riches bring fulfillment.

His wealth cannot be measured.

Satisfaction came slowly, in time. After many months of giving, we realized that we were in a better financial state of mind. Our budget had not changed. Our bills had not changed. Only our hearts had changed and somehow, within that heart change, we seemed to have more than before.

God took the small portion of what we gave back to Him and poured blessings we had not even imagined over us. Our lives became rich with love, joy, peace and contentment.

I can justify

Hording treasures in Heaven.

That joy will survive.

Not today, but tomorrow

Rewards wait for me on high.

There was a certain trust that came with surrendering our money – I mean God’s money – back to Him. As we began to trust Him more, our focus changed.

Instead of looking at what treasures we could attain here on earth, we began to see ways to build our eternal treasures. Building greater relationships, witnessing, raising our children to honor God and others, and focusing on finding out what God wanted from us – beyond a portion of His money back – became our goal.

I won’t simplify.

Search always for essentials.

Never be content.

Find joy in Heaven’s pleasures.

Seeking His wealth time well spent.

Searching for God’s will, especially in our finances, does not always come easy. Although I now realize He will supply all our needs, our debt has not disappeared. Money still comes in and goes out in a vicious cycle, and that dream car is still calling my name!

Yet, the change of focus in my heart has brought a peace I could not have imagined.

I now realize

How His treasures send comfort

To all those in need.

Wealth can be shared in knowledge

Of His precious Son’s great deed.

Heavenly Father, I just want to praise You for changing my view of treasures. I now realize that all I have is Yours and You so generously supply all my needs. You even supply many of my wants and desires.

Please help me to always remember to share in the wealth you have given, not only through offerings, but also through my words and actions. After all, how can anyone else know how wonderful You are and what you have sacrificed for us, if we don’t tell them?

Teresa Lee Rainey is a wife and mom who enjoys writing in her spare time. It is her desire to write for the honor of Jesus Christ and she humbly prays that those who read her writings will be able to see God’s hand at work in them.

Article Source: faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS-MAKE A WEBSITE

Sunflower Faith | No comments | Tags: "Christian Life", faith, frugal

16 Mar 2009

Resources

Spelling Resource

Spelling was something that I wasn’t too sure how I was going to approach and something, I’ve been researching for awhile.

With the curriculum (CM/Ambleside) method, spelling wasn’t recommended for Kindergarten or First Grade, but we are doing an eclectic blend of CM/Ambleside teaching, so I wanted to find something that was fun,creative and will keep the kids interest.

Something that would be of interest to homeschoolers who are faced with the daunting question of what to do about Spelling; SpellQuizzer byTedCo Software is something that I would highly recommend for parents who want to find a fun, creative but educational way to help kids learn to spell.

SpellQuizzer is a spelling program for helping children learn their spelling words and SpellQuizzer will also help students practice their vocabulary words.

While using SpellQuizzer, several things stand out about the program.

It’s super easy to use and learn
It’s fun; I even enjoyed it and discovered I can use it myself to learn “big words”
In thirty minutes, my kids had it figure out (course they also know how to turn on and off the dvd, program the report and buy stock. I was kidding about buying stock, they don’t think right now is a good time to buy,lol…okay, bad joke is over).

Because you can create your own word lists, SpellQuizzer works for all subjects and for all spelling programs even for learning how to spell biblical words and vocabulary work.

There’s a spellchecker that is built in so while creating your own word lists, it catches and warns if it (the program) thinks the word is spelled incorrectly, so what a great way to encourage kids to create their own word lists of words and vocabulary that want or need to learn.

If you are a homeschooler, SpellQuizzer has a page devoted for homeschoolers that you can find here: spellquizzer.com/Spelling-Software-For-Homeschoolers.htm.

When I first open it, I wasn’t sure what to expect and wonder, oh no, is it going to be complicated and something I’m really going to have to learn,so I figure, I’ll wait till the kids are on Spring Break, no pressure, and play with it then.

I was surprised how fast it took to learn the program. When you initially open the program, there’s six options to choose from.

If you want to just try out the program before leaping into creating a spelling list, there are several word lists that are currently available on SpellQuizzer.

However, you don’t have to just use those lists.

As you can tell on the picture, you not only have the option of creating a spelling list or importing ones from SpellQuizzer, but you have the option of exporting spelling lists.

This is great for homeschoolers who want to create spelling lists for specific curriculums to exchange with others.

How it works is that you basically click on “Quiz me”; Choose a spelling list you want to be quizzed on and the following window, pops up:

My kids really enjoy the audio feature of SpellQuizzer.

With a microphone that you can find for cheap at any store, SpelQuizzer allows you not only to create word lists, use definitions for the kids to associate a word with, or just hint, but you can also record the audio of the word to play for the kids to hear and then guess the correct spelling.

This is great for families who are multi-lingual to teach their kids to read and spell a foreign language and also it makes it easy for parents to have kids working on their spelling lists wearing headphones, while they use that time to work/teach their other children.

Or say you are teaching several children the same spelling curriculum.

If you want to individual test them, you can do so that way (the program allows for randomizing words) or together while your working with another child (great for families who are homeschooling multiple children).

The only drawback I could find with SpellQuizzer, is that there is no option to score percentages which is helpful for those who are required to keep records or want to keep spelling test scores so it would have to manual, but who knows, this may end up being an added feature in the future.

If you want to find out more about SpellQuizzer you can find out at their website here, but you’re going to find it was so user friendly, even had a video demo.

There’s a 30 day free trial demo then you have the option of paying for it or you can get it free through TrialPay.

The way that works (TrialPay) is that you choose from a selection of offers from qualifying partner companies. When you complete an offer, you receive a free license for the software.

So if you’re on a budget like myself and other homeschoolers and looking for something that is worth the investment and is inexpensive , TrialPay, is an avenue to look at and in the meantime, you can just try it out first for thirty days before buying or doing the trial pay.

Since we are on a tight budget, it’s hard to find a really good Spelling curriculum that we clicked with, and would want to buy, so this is really a great alternative to buying a spelling curriculum and worrying that half way through or even first chapter, we may end up going, this isn’t for us.

Something that I would like to see, and hope maybe an option is, printing out the word list, but really, I like this program because I don’t have to worry about paper (or being frugal since this is all on the computer), the kids love hearing the words sounded out and typing in the words, this is a GREAT way to introduce kids to computers at a young age and you don’t have to worry about content because, well, you create the content and they are learning without knowing it…

Now when the kids get older and realize they are having to do spelling, that might be a different story, lol.

I really like this program big time.

I ended up downloading the “Books of the Bible” spelling list for me (blush), since that is something that can help me in my bible study and hey, I get to try it out for when I use it with the kids for their bible study.

As I create spelling lists of my own for this program, I plan on sharing them here with and for you, so check back often if you start using the programs yourself!

Let me know what you think of SpellQuizzer and what you think of it yourself.

I was thinking of starting a yahoo group to share spelling lists created since this is a relatively new program, but if you have or do start one first, let me know and I’ll join!

Sunflower Faith | 2 comments | Tags: Spelling, SpellQuizzer

16 Mar 2009

Spring Garden

Seeds Status

I need to get some planters.

Several.

I really didn’t expect all the seeds to take, but they did and as soon as I get them to a planter, I am praying by mid-summer, I can start harvesting the peppers.

Yes.

Peppers.

Not any peppers either, but Thai Birds Eye Pepper. Pretty hot stuff.

We’re pretty adventerous with our cooking and peppers is something we enjoy eating.

Meanwhile, my mother in law gave me an aloe vera plant that, Murphy, the hairy destroyer, immediately took to (more like dragged), but thankfully the plant and roots weren’t damaged and I was able to replant it and she has a blackberry plant she wants to give us so we need to find a place in the yard to plant it.

I didn’t get the strawberry plants and turned out, uhm, well, we forgot to order it versus thinking we did order it, so we’re planning to get an order out, next paycheck for a few plants.

Right now, money is a bit tight (as it is everywhere), but honestly, as frustrating as it is that we’ve had to “tighten our belts some”, I’m really grateful to our Heavenly Father that it isn’t as worse as it is for many that we need to keep in our prayers who are facing unemployment, loss of homes and needing hope.

Meanwhile, we’re praying that our Heavenly Father will bless us with a favorable harvest of what we are growing and either through trading vegetables with other families that we know are growing vegetables on their own, or praying to God for opportunities for other plants that we can grow to offset grocery bills and really just have those fresh vegetables, we’re thankful to Him,for His constant reminder:

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ; What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we wear? For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ( Matthew 6:31-33)

Now to figure out how to convince Murphy that my plants are not chew toys.