A thrift store find

There is a wonderful thrift store not far from church. I love to visit as often as possible. A few weeks ago I found a nice, piece made from solid wood. Not something that is often found in this day of laminates and vaneers.

 

after a little sanding, 2 cans of paint, and new hardware it came out rather nice.

Pinterest Possibilities ~ Candle out of an Orange

According to Pinterest and Youtube you can make an emergency candle out of an orange. All you need is
- an Orange
- a knife
- matches
- oil

After following the directions on the Youtube video I lit my candle.  Amazingly, it worked! But I noticed that it didn't work for long. The oil gets sucked up the 'wick' and burns off quickly.

In case of emergency - Have candles.

Pinterest Possibilities - Laundry Detergent

Last Thanksgiving we bought a new washer and dryer set. After seeing the recipe for Laundry soap on pinterest, I thought I would give it a try. If it didn't work out - I would have $23 in cleaning mix to use on other things.

The recipe is as follows:

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

 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 (if you use Zote bars use 2 bars instead, Zote can be found at Home Depot)

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 should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store.

**Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. I know that does not seem like enough but this recipe does not have fillers like the store bought detergent so you only need 1-2 Tablespoons.**

It took a bit of hunting to find the items. The Zoat soap I found at Home Depot like it was suggested, but spent $2 instead of $1. Months later I noticed that the 99cent stores carry it. The Arm & Hammer Washing Soda I had to purchase thru Amazon.

I followed the directions and placed the contents in a decorative jar I bought at Walmart for $10. Now, over 365 days later this is what is left of the $26.78 I spent on laundry soap.....

The clothes come out clean. I haven't had any difficulties with stains not coming out well, clothes fading faster, or other issues that others have faced.

Christmas came early

C. has been wanting a bunny for several years. This year we decided to give her one. We hunted for one that didn't cost a small fortune. We didn't want one that was pure bred, show quality, $100 cuteness. We found a sweet, little black bunny on craigslist.

We couldn't keep the bunny a secret for long. He wasn't happy staying cooped up in a box.

Presenting Christopher the Christmas bunny

Christmas Decor

This year the Christmas decorating got off to a late start. Between school, rain (couldn't hunt down a tree in rain!), colds, etc, the decorations didn't go up till mid December. But, as is always the case, the Lord knew what was planned. The local thrift store had a very nice, very expensive faux tree for my special price: cheap! We bit the bullet and entered the current trendy group of faux tree owners. I have resisted for so long since I don't like the way the fake trees look. I like the hunt that comes with bringing home a recently deceased tree. I like their smell. I like the way they look. What I don't like is the $60+ you have to spend to continue this yearly tradition. The cost can't be justified anymore.
Since the fire we haven't found many ornaments to create a new collection. Call me picky, but I like having ornaments with theme, meaning, and sentimentality. I found a website that offered beautiful paper chains created from sheet music. I loved it. I didn't care for the price: $36 for two strands, each nine feet long. Since I had sheet music for organs - something I won't ever play - I put it to use....and made my own. It even happened to be German Christmas music with English translations.

A little bit of Thankfulness

The living room was rearranged so this year our family could host Thanksgiving. With family, seminary students who became adopted family, and friends who feel a lot like family we gathered around the table to indulge in foods made once a year....ok twice if you include Christmas. Pictures were scarce since I stayed in the kitchen most of the day, but use your imagination. Some watched the football game, others discussed the various guns owned, fired, tried, or wanted, the Gentleman kept a close eye on the Turkey frying in the back yard, ladies helped out in the kitchen stirring, peeling, filling, mixing, adding, and chatting, while children ran upstairs and down. Food was delicious, desserts were heavenly, fellowship was sweet and cherished.
I am thankful for the home the Lord has blessed us with.
I am thankful for those who came.
I am thankful for God's gift of friendships that are so sweet that they feel like family
I am thankful for family who serve others readily without hesitation
I am thankful for friends who jump into our family and quickly become a part of it.
I am thankful for seminary students we can 'love on' - giving them a bit of home when theirs are so far away.
I am thankful for the 'Little Stove that did'
I am thankful for the beautiful weather that allowed windows to be open.
I am thankful for the conversations that had us in stitches.
I am thankful for others not wanting to leave. I knew we made them feel welcome & loved.
I am thankful for the comfortable bed I have.

Birthdays galore

November marked birthdays of 'adopted' family..... Neither expected a cake, let alone the opportunity to blow out candles.

Mr. Josh

Zoe girl - now she can claim a decade.

A Christian's Contentment - or - The Tortoise & the Hare

I am currently reading through 3 books: The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs, God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades by Rodney Stark, and Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley. Last night I jumped into Christian Contentment for a little "light" reading before bed. If you wish to be convicted about personal behavior just grab a Puritan Paperback. These books show the life of a puritan held deeper thought and reflection on a single page than I have in a week. I went to sleep feeling uneducated, flippant, shallow, and heathenistic. But, it also gave me pause - to see those areas in my own life and realize that I still need to seek for change, to still seek Him with heart, soul, and mind. I may do that, but I fall short in quality .....often.
Anyway, what I read last night caused reflection:

 "Contentment is not merely one act, just a flash in a good mood. You find many men and women who, if they are in a good mood, will be very quiet. But this will not hold. It is not a constant course. It is not the constant tenor of their spirits to be holy and gracious under affliction....A Christian who, in the constant tenor and temper of his heart, can carry himself quietly with constancy has learned this lesson on contentment. Otherwise his Christianity is worth nothing, for no one, however furious in his discontent, will not be quiet when he is in a good mood." (pg 29)

This statement paralleled the Tortoise & Hare fable I have been using with the writing students. I found similarities between the tortoise and a contented Christian. No matter the trial or circumstance do I continue on toward the goal. Do I count all things joy? Do I plod faithfully? or am I more like the Hare? boastful about minor accomplishments, quick off the starting block, whine loudly and claim many a "Woe is me" to garner attention? So confident in my end goal that I forget to even run the race that is set before me?



from Disney cartoon

The Eyes have it.

The yearly checkup showed that C. does not have perfect genes. Alas, she needs vision enhancement too. Off we galavanted to the nearest Lens Crafters where we enjoyed the Goldilocks process of selecting eye wear.

Option #1 - Flashback to the days of Cat eyes. Toooo pointy

Option #2 - The ode to Harry Potter.  Toooo round

Option #3 - the cute and Buggy look.  Toooooo BIG

Option #4 - Blue Steel. Toooo um, just Not.

Fitting the frames to the lady's head

Victoria, the lovely associate who helped us.
She happens to go to Faith Baptist. =>

Drumroll.............

These are juuuuuust RIGHT!

Finding Cleopatra

Today we joined the masses and a few friends at the California Science Center to enjoy the Space Shuttle Endeavor, the Imax movie on the Myiiiiiisterrrrries of Egypt (suspenseful music), and the Cleopatra Exhibition.

The Space Shuttle was really fascinating. The museum has made it as much of a personal experience as possible. One is able to rrrreach to touch the bald tires, complete with gouges and scrapes from the multiple landings on rough tarmac. Pay $5 and one may take a flight simulator ride to feel what space might be like if gravity existed in the bleak, black expanse. The shuttle is raised off the floor so the visitor might walk beneath and around the massive plane while marveling at the numerous scorch marks that created the re-entry 'scars'. The timeline running along 3 walls tells the story of each mission the Endeavor journeyed on, along with pictures of the crew members or aspects of the missions.

 "Mysteries of Egypt" opened with re-enactments of Carter searching for King Tut's tomb, then moves into a Soarin' Over California scene flying over the turbulent waters that begin the Nile River. It was impressive how much water runs North to establish Egyptian life.

The Cleopatra Exhibition opened with a short video about the discoveries found within the submerged city of Canopus and the search for the Pharaoh Queen Cleopatra. While the relics they pulled from the waters are quite fascinating there was much conjecture and speculation. The recordings we heard were creatively done, many in the first person as if the Queen was giving the tour. The speculation came when they described artifacts as ones Cleopatra may have walked past, may have worshiped at, or may have worn something similar to the one displayed. I found it thought provoking that the tour attempted to create an image of this queen as one who was a poor, loving mother, and misunderstood ruler who just did what was justifiably necessary for the good of others. What I noticed was that she lived in a city similar to Canopus that was filled with "lascivious behavior and revelry" and had no sense of decorum or morals. She was a manipulative woman who used her children to maintain power and duped men to attain what she desired. Her children were fathered by men who were enemies, leading me to think that she used them to create a bond that would instill her good standing with whomever may have power at the moment.  My uneducated guess is that those who still search for her tomb may never find it. The powers of Rome who conquered Egypt hated Cleopatra enough to have every statue of her likeness destroyed. If the queen died to keep from being taken prisoner, Rome would have wanted to see her body; I doubt they would have given her a burial fitting an Egyptian monarch. Though our romantic imaginations would wish otherwise, I wouldn't doubt that she was buried like a commoner, or tossed to the fishes or dogs.