Homekeeper's Journal ~ September 23, 2010

Longsuffering

In the Bible there are two words that are used in the New Testament which talk about Patience.

There is, of course, patience.  And then there is Long-suffering.  We don’t like that word much because our very nature seems to be repulsed by it… Long-suffering.

Suffering … Long.

Suffering a lonnnnnnng time.

But it isn’t just any kind of suffering Long-suffering is talking about.  Patience is what we seek when we have a trying situation to go through.  Long-Suffering is what we need when we are dealing with people.

Long-suffering means that we have patience with people.

God expects that we will have difficult people in our lives and He knows that it will sometimes be painful.  So He calls us to suffer a long time with people, be patient with them, while He is working out His plan in our lives and in their lives.

How can we refuse to be Long-suffering with others when we know how long God has suffered with our own foolishness?

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is all about Long-suffering ….

God has worked in my life regarding patience and long-suffering in these ways ………… by allowing me to "suffer" through some bad life choices; thus, allowing me the sweetness of His answer to my prayer.

The hardest part of showing long-suffering is …………. not allowing my flesh to take control of the situation or loving the person through their season of long-suffering.  (Keeping my mouth shut.)

The most rewarding part of showing long-suffering is ……….. living the gospel of loving others through it; rejoicing with them when it is over!

The one kind situation that I have the most trouble showing long-suffering in is ……… when the long-suffering was brought on by poor choices and the person isn't "doing" anything to 'right the wrong.'

I see how kindness goes hand in hand with long-suffering because ………. it shows God's love to those around you.

I want others to show long-suffering to me when ……… I'm indecisive or working through a bout of mild depression.

God shows long-suffering to me in these ways ……….. always loving me and bringing me closer to Him by whom he places in my life.

Ephesians 4:1b-2 says ….. "I (Paul) urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." 

This week I will begin to ask God to ……….. give me long-suffering patience and humility while still parenting teenagers and the words to bring them to a more intimate relationship with Him. 

Lord, show me how to love my teens through this season in their lives.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ September 8, 2010

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is all about Nesting …….

Let’s define our terms ….

Nest - a snug retreat or refuge; resting place; home.

Nesting - to build or have a nest

In my neck of the woods its getting cooler and Autumn isn’t far away. Its time to start nesting and get my home cozy and comfortable for the cooler days ahead. I want to create a retreat from the world, a resting place, home.

Get your thinking caps on and lets talk about how we can arrange, order, decorate and change our homes so that they are a warm wonderful retreat for our families this Autumn and Winter.

My kitchen would be more inviting if …………. it were 3 times bigger!  I have a shotgun kitchen and a small one at that.  The only bonus is that the dining room is right next to the kitchen and you can visit "long distance" with friends, family, etc.

My best tip for making a home seem more welcoming ….. is by trying to keep the chaos down to a minimum.  Since you enter through the living room, I try to keep it and dining room picked up daily.

To give the feeling of warmth in my home I often ….. lay lap blankets on the sofas.  I love to put out the blankets made for us by our friends.  Then, I can share the history behind them.

In the cooler months, it is essential for me to ….. stay warm!  Seriously, the cooler months lend themselves to curling up with a good book.

Some favorite Autumn/Winter recipes are ….. stews (especially veal!), chili, and homemade spaghetti sauce.

A Quick Tip for making your house more inviting …… be more focused on your guests and not your home.  I missed out on having friends over because I was too concerned with the house and its state of disarray.  Now, I apologize for the chaos, and enjoy having their friendship and fellowship!

(from CHK)

This post is linked to Christian Home Keepers.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ September 1, 2010

Homekeeper’s Journal ~ Children 

If you have children or grandchildren, or even nieces and nephews, you know what a joy they are. God tells us that children are a blessing from Him.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Ps 127:3-5

In what ways are children a blessing to us?

They are enjoyable and entertaining! They are just as cute as they can be and a lot of fun to watch as they grown, learn and explore the world.

They are a great help to us in learning to be like Jesus. We learn self-sacrifice, patience, long-suffering, joy, love, self-control and discipline by raising a child or even by being in the life of a child and we learn what it is so be trusted and depended on completely. That’s a huge responsibility.

They are of the greatest help to us with our work. Children should be given jobs in the home to learn that they are an essential part of a family. Children can be such good help to us as we do the things we must do every day for the family.

The enlarge our impact on the world for the glory of God! I think that is partially what it means in Psalms 127 where is says ….”They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.” Our influence goes beyond our children, through their lives and into the world.

This week the Homekeeper’s Journal is all about our children!

I can directly influence these children ….. my 3 teenagers, my son and daughter-in-law, my grandson, my "extra" daughter, and my teenagers' friends.

Some specific ways that I see my influence in my children are …. Positively --- not scared to speak their mind or call others on their "stories" and their sense of humor and demeanor.  Negatively --- sarcastic tongue and judgemental attitude (not too proud of these). 

The biggest area needing improvement in how I see my children is … that they are becoming wonderful young people who don't need my input in every area of their lives.  I need to back off.....  : (

My greatest joy in my children is … knowing they are in the family of God by nothing more than God's grace and mercy in their lives.  We are still praying for my youngest son to accept Christ!  Please pray with us!

The best thing I ever did for my children was … bringing them home from the Christian school to home school them.  They could then learn on their own academic timetables; they could jump ahead or slow down if they needed more time on a specific subject.

One thing I want to be sure to impart to my children is …. that we are all here to serve others.  Jesus himself modeled the servant attitude when he washed the feet of all the disciples, even Judas.  Also, we all have others who are watching us to see if our speech, behavior, etc is in line with our Christian faith.  Are we walking our talk?

This needs great prayer and thought regarding my children ….. how to direct them in their upcoming college decisions without taking over. 

This post is linked to Christian Home Keepers.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ August 24, 2010

Dreams of Autumn...

Autumn in my kitchen means ……. chili, soup, home-made spaghetti sauce and apple pie!

Autumn in my home brings …….a  sense of cooler days ahead.

I bring Autumn indoors by …….. opening the house up once the heat of summer passes.

A few favorite Autumn activities for my family are ……. hikes in the Battlefield, camping, and playing in the leaf pile!

Two favorite Autumn recipes are ……. Pumpkin Pie and homemade apple sauce.

This Autumn I would like to ……… begin a soup dinner night for our immediate neighbors so we can really get to know them.  Think indoor block party!

Homekeeper's Journal ~ July 20, 2010

This week’s Homekeeper’s Journal is all about Beginnings ……..

Something new I would like to attempt in my kitchen ... cooking one month at a time.  I'm not sure of the name, but you shop/cook/bake all the dinner meals for one month and freeze them.  By doing this, you spend less time daily making dinner and save money.  Click here for more information.  My main problem... I don't have a separate stand alone freezer, and my side-by-side can't handle the amount of food.

When the newness wears off a relationship, you find … out who your true friends are.  Who will truly accept you for who you are, not what they want you to be/do.

The new school year starts around here on ... August 3rd or 10th.  I haven't bought all the curriculum yet, so I don't have the lesson plans ready.  I normally don't work around the public school schedule.  We like to build in time off and vacations while still finishing the bulk of our school by the middle of May.

I need to start … my science lesson plans.  I think these will take the longest to set-up.  I need to restart my Bible study which I let slide over the summer.  This is probably why I haven't been myself most of the summer.

God’s mercies are new every morning so … I need to believe this and start each day with a clean slate.  I'm horrible about carrying over the problems from the previous days.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ July 6, 2010

This week the Homekeeper’s Journal is all about SUMMER………


In my summer kitchen …….. pork bbq with fresh corn on the cob and sliced tomatoes with cucumbers, fresh honey wheat bread, fresh home-made strawberry jam on our toast, grilled chicken, bbq ribs with coleslaw.... this has been a good week!

In my summer yard ………. morning glories snaking up the mailbox, sunflowers just about to bloom, a vegetable garden that is supplying us with zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and soon watermelon, carrots, and yellow squash!

On my summer reading list ….. I love to read, but I don't have a reading list.

In my summer plans ……. working through school paperwork and a quick vacation trip to Kansas City, MO, for my son's wedding later this month.

On my summer To-Do List ……… 1) get high school homeschool records in order, 2) get curriculum ordered and set-up, 3) work on some simple home repairs, esp 2 new bath fans and strip wallpaper and repaint both bathrooms... mildew issues, 4) spend fun quality time with my kids, and 5) clean out the garage... again!  I'm sure there is more on the to-do list....

Homekeeper's Journal ~ June 30, 2010

Here's a slice of life at our home...


In my yard... a raised square-foot garden producing zucchini, tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers, green peppers, and hopefully, ice-box watermelon.  Morning glories climbing up my mailbox mixed with some snap dragons and one sunflower. A lawn that is drying out due to the heat and no rain.

On my grill… Nothing today since my hubby wasn't home.  In the past week, we've enjoyed grilled chicken on salad greens, hamburgers, and bbq chicken.

With my children… Michael is having a blast at Boy Scout camp; Melissa is looking forward to time with a good friend tomorrow, Matthew is continuing to work on his play.

On my mind… completing high school transcripts and portfolios; cleaning a computer of a nasty spyware virus application...6 hours of computer work in safe mode and rebooted in normal mode.  So far so good...

The book of the Bible I keep finding myself turning to lately… Acts, Galatians, 1 John... I working on a Bible study on the apostle John.

I am reading…  How to study, A practrical guide from a Christian perspective and 7 keys to Comprehension.  Doesn't this sound so exciting.  I'm trying to get a better handle on how to help one of  my students.

I am looking forward to… seeing my son and fiance when they get married later in July.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 19 ..... My son is getting married!

What’s happening in my home….


In my kitchen… Chicken with penne pasta, salad, and Italian bread.  Today, we may go to a local restaurant for a late lunch/early dinner and watch the US play in the World Cup.

With our marriage… We are taking more time to talk and spend time together (without the kids).  This is becoming a special time for us.

With the children… Michael is heading off to Boy Scout camp tomorrow.  He is so excited; he was completely packed last night!  Melissa enjoyed her time at church camp with Natasha and states she is closer with the Lord.  Matthew is continuing to work on his lines for the play which must be memorized by June 30!

Our biggest new is that my oldest son, Robert, is getting married on July 24th.  This will take our family to Kansas City, Missouri for the celebration.

Around the homestead… we are enjoying the vegies from the garden.  The zucchini is great!  Now, the tomatoes are starting to ripen.  Maybe, I'll be enjoying a beefsteak tomato later today!

In my “Inner Man"... My Inner Man needs nourishment and watering. I am attempting to do this by staying in step with my Bible study on the gospel and letters of John.

What is your Inner Man? In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives us a clue about what he means when he says “the inner man." In that scripture he says, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (4:16 NASB). So for Christians even though there is something about us that is getting old, decaying and deteriorating and dying..there is also something about us that is growing, becoming more alive, richer and stronger every day we live and follow Christ. That is what Paul calls our “inner man.”

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 18

This is what's happening at my house...

Too much zucchini - too little motivation!

What’s going on in my kitchen this week ….. tuna casserole, grilled chicken, homemade fresh blueberry pancakes, and a lot of zucchini side dishes.

This week, I have simply not been able to get a handle on … getting done what needs to get done.  I am in serious need of motivation!!

Its so hot here ….. that the teens won't even go out and hang out.  The basketball hoop is forgotten during the hot summer months and they seem to forget that the lawn needs mowing...

If I could have a pantry built to order ….. I would need a new house!  Since I don't have any type of pantry now, I wouldn't be too picky.  Any storage would be a blessing!

The one place other than where I am that I might like to live is ….. near my grandson and son so that would put me in Texas in a couple of months.

The most comfortable shoes I have ever had ….. are my on-sale sandals from Payless Shoes.  I love them so much, I bought all they had the fall of 2008.  This way, when they were no longer wearable, I already had replacements.  Sad day... they no longer carry them and I need new ones!

My favorite things about summer ….. I love the longer days; the growing garden; less stress due to less  commitments; reading or in my case - catching up on reading!

I know I need to …… start and complete the high school portfolios and transcripts (x 4 students).  I also need to decide on history and literature curriculum for the upcoming school year.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 17

What’s happening in my home...


In my kitchen… we enjoyed Asian chicken last night! YUM!  Grilled pork chops are on the menu, but I don't if we'll have them today or tomorrow.  Rod wants to take the kids to the Chattanooga Football (soccer) game tonight. 

With our marriage… spent a couple of hours one-on-one with Rod this week.  Nothing exciting, but we had numerous things to talk about and decisions to make.  Even though it wasn't a romantic walk, I enjoy all the time we get to spend together minus the kids.  Rod, Happy Father's Day!

With the children… Melissa is home from camp; Matthew was offered a part in "Dearly Departed" and is walking on air; Michael is looking forward to Boy Scout camp... countdown - 8 days!

Around the homestead… I enjoyed a really good thunder storm today.  I stood on the porch and watched the storm.  I love thunder storms!

In my “Inner Man”…. keeping up with my Bible study, praying all through the day. I find myself fighting off mild depression these days. I don’t want to give in.


What is your Inner Man? In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives us a clue about what he means when he says “the inner man." In that scripture he says, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (4:16 NASB). So for Christians even though there is something about us that is getting old, decaying and deteriorating and dying..there is also something about us that is growing, becoming more alive, richer and stronger every day we live and follow Christ. That is what Paul calls our “inner man.”

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 16

What’s going on in my kitchen this week ….. home cooked dinners!

Every time I try to ….. work on my kids' high school paperwork, I get side-tracked (like right now)!  Procrastination is a bad thing, I know, and I'll soon run out of summer to complete these.

Thinking very heavily on this right now … serious school decisions and history/literature plans for the upcoming school year.

I wish my mother had told me….. (1) what periods were before I had my first one and thought I was dying, and (2) about sex, not the details (God forbid, how embarrassing!), but God's plan for sex and the consequences of having sex before marriage.

I wish a mature believer had told me... that walking with the Lord requires daily death to self.  For a person who likes to be in control, this is not any easy thing to do, but God is continually working on me in this area.

I am determined to ….. to see Jesus as the apostle John did.  I want to be awed and enamored with Jesus as if I, myself, am witnessing the miraculous healings, feedings, teachings, and resurrection.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 15

What’s happening in my home..….

In my kitchen… homemade honey wheat bread, steaks on the grill with a salad and vegie.  Just finished making homemade fresh strawberry jam.  Yummy!  We have a full refrigerator/freezer.  Praise the Lord!

With our marriage… going strong … we are in need of some quality time though, without kids, just to be "two" again!

With the children… daughter heading to church camp with a friend tomorrow, the rest of the family will enjoy a Third Day concert at Riverbend in Chattanooga on Tuesday, and I'm planning on working on high school transcripts/portfolios this week.  * Note - so far, new cleaning schedule is working!

Around the homestead… watching the garden wilt in the 96+ F heat wave.  Guess I need to water twice a day.  The broccoli isn't giving me flowers now, so I'll replant in the fall and pray for a bumper crop.  We have a chance of picking up a second frig/freezer which will give me more freezer room.  This is a stepping stone to finding a stand-up freezer.

In my “Inner Man”…. learning how to worship the awesome God I serve in spirit and in truth!  Corporate worship is wonderful, heart lifting, spirit refreshing.... Private worship is lacking big time.


What is your Inner Man? In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives us a clue about what he means when he says “the inner man." In that scripture he says, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (4:16 NASB). So for Christians even though there is something about us that is getting old, decaying and deteriorating and dying..there is also something about us that is growing, becoming more alive, richer and stronger every day we live and follow Christ. That is what Paul calls our “inner man.”

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 14

What’s happening in my home?….

In my kitchen… Tacos for dinner.  I'm trying to eat better and healthier, so I'm having more soup/salads for lunch.  I am also looking forward to being able to eat vegetables directly out of my garden!  The radishes are good, but I'm salivating for the tomatoes!

With our marriage… things are good right now, but as with all marriages, they haven’t always been. There have been some really hard times in the past 17+ years. But we’ve hung on, sometimes it seems like we hung on to tatters, and God has been faithful to us. It was hard to imagine that when things were as tough as they got that we’d make it. But we did.  Our marriage is so much better now because of the peaks and valleys God walked us through.  God is so good!

With the children… we are working on heart attitudes and "needs versus wants."  Even the parents need God's work in these areas.

Around the homestead… We are beginning a new house cleaning schedule.  I hope it goes well; in theory, it looks really good!

In my “Inner Man”…. working on children's disrespectful attitudes.  I know I'm not responding/reacting well and hence, not being a good, Biblical role model.  My prayer is that God will show me the true heart issues/problems with them, not just their outward actions and words.

What is your Inner Man? In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives us a clue about what he means when he says “the inner man." In that scripture he says, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." (4:16 NASB). So for Christians even though there is something about us that is getting old, decaying and deteriorating and dying..there is also something about us that is growing, becoming more alive, richer and stronger every day we live and follow Christ. That is what Paul calls our “inner man.”

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 13

Proverbs 31 woman... me?  Not!

This is my definition of “Homekeeping” ……… manages the home and children; oversees the shopping and food preparation; chauffeuring when needed (when is it not needed!); stays available for her husband and his needs; imparts Christian faith to the kids by teaching, encouraging, role modeling.  See Proverbs 31.

My favorite place to practice the profession of homekeeping is ….. #1: the kitchen - showing love throught the food I make; #2: our schoolroom - showing love to our kids by home educating them; #.3: couponing to save money.

I do find joy in keeping my home and I think the reason is …..  because I want the best for my family.

At this point in my life, this is what I believe my children, husband and/or other family members think about our home…. that it looks fine and doesn't need to be cleaned every week.  I am far from weekly cleaning, but the kids and I are working toward that end.  My husband never complains about the housekeeping, bless him!  I think others see the love in our home not the mess.

The things I wish someone had told me about homekeeping when I was young.… that it doesn't just happen all by itself.  It does take work and planning, especially if you home educate. 

The messages that I received about homemaking and being a wife/mother when growing up were ….. that it is a blessing to be able to stay home with your kids and manage your home well.  Thanks, Mom!

6 blessings that God has given me this week are …. my faith in Christ, a loving husband (even though he is sick), caring friends, wonderful kids, the ability to stay-at-home with my kids, home schooling.....

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 12

What’s happening in my home….

My teens have enjoyed 3 weeks off from school which ended today.  Needless to say, I am not the most popular person at our home!  We continue with math through the summer.  Each of the students are in the middle of their math courses.  We usually do math + one other subject.  I haven't pushed the "plus 1" ---- YET!

In my kitchen… BBQ Pork for sandwiches with cole slaw and homemade fries.

With our marriage… trying to find the time to spend together that does not include kids or chores!

With the children… stir crazy already.  I believe they think I'm here to entertain/chauffeur them, etc.  NOT!

Around the homestead… garden growing well except the broccoli.  Not sure if they will produce the florets or not; husband mowing yard 'cause kids aren't. : (  Trying to find a starting place for all the paperwork, grades, transcripts, etc that I need to catch up on and get ahead on.

In my “Inner Man”…. I am working through a Bible study on John which includes his gospel, 1 and 2 John, and Revelation.


What is your Inner Man? In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives us a clue about what he means when he says “the inner man."  In that scripture he says, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day."  (4:16 NASB). So for Christians even though there is something about us that is getting old, decaying and deteriorating and dying..there is also something about us that is growing, becoming more alive, richer and stronger every day we live and follow Christ. That is what Paul calls our “inner man.”

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 11

What’s happening in my home….


We are volunteering at J-Fest, a Christian Music Festival in Chattanooga, this weekend.  A time to give back as a family and enjoy some great Christian artists.

In my kitchen… I am looking forward to being home more next week so I can cook normal dinners again.

With our marriage… we are working through this financial valley together.  Closings are scheduled for next week.  Pray all goes well.

With the children… one is impatiently waiting to see if he got a part in Dearly Departed; daughter is going to a church summer camp with a friend soon; one looking forward to Boy Scout camp.

Around the homestead… rain, rain, rain.  At least I don't need to use my water to water the garden!  Anything to decrease the bill.

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 10

What’s happening in my home?


We have been having a lot of pop-up storms.  The rain alone has almost filled my bucket which I use to water the small garden.

In my kitchen…homemade, warm honey wheat bread.

With our marriage… we are looking forward to more time together when my hubby's schedule becomes less hectice.  This is good and bad... he is a realtor and busyness hopefully equals closings!

With the children… one is auditioning for a new play tomorrow night; another is rereading a book for the millionth (only slight exaggeration!) time; another just wants to know what we are eating for each meal.


Around the homestead… a well deserved break from schooling.  Kids are enjoying sleeping in and having a more relaxed day. 

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 9 (The Cure for Anxiety)

In my kitchen ….. homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread, or should I say, what is left of it after we attacked it as it came out of the oven yesterday!

My marriage….. growing stronger over the last 18 years.  Why is it that it takes the rough times for us to truly bond as one?  Why do we always get complacent during the easy times? 

With my children …… two 16 year olds looking for jobs and one 14 year old looking forward to Boy Scout camp.  My 26 year old is looking forward to quality time with his son, Xander, who just turned 5!

I feel so relieved when ….. ?  I'm drawing a blank.  In our school, I will feel relieved when I get the transcripts and high school portfolios caught up.  But then, I know I will have another perceived deadline, etc. to make.

My spiritual life is on a plateau.... it's neither flourishing or declining.  I love the Lord and want to be in His will always, but don't have the desire for daily quiet time/Bible reading, etc.  My desire is there, yet I lack motivation.  Keep me in your prayers.

If I am honest, the thing that keeps me from praying as much as I should is ….. busy-ness.  I feel I have too many thing to accomplish and don't put God first in my priorities.  Yes, I'm good with sending up emergency prayers, but daily time with God.... lacking.

I see God moving in my life and how I react to situations.  I have a habit of blowing things out of proportion and God is continually reteaching me what is important versus what is not.  I focus on the thing of this world and get bent out of shape.  God is calling me to focus on the eternal things.  This includes the education the my kids, my time with God, my relationships, everything.

This is in the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind, but should be moved into the light …. trust in God to supply all our needs during the real estate recession.  We have already seen His people in action; yet, I still worry which just wastes time. 

The Cure for Anxiety

Matthew 6:25-34 (NASB)

25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

31 Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'

32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 8

Life with the Cooks....


In My Kitchen …. Memorial Day Picnic!  Hamburgers, hot dogs, deviled eggs, baked beans, homemade potato salad, watermelon, and homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread.  YUM!

With The Children ….. setting up any summer plans they have or would like to have.  Michael - Boy Scout Camp, Matthew - a new play (hopefully), Melissa - church camp with a friend if we can swing it.

What I’m Reading … 1/2 Price Living: Secrets to Living Well on One Income by Ellie Kay.  I am trying to learn new ways to live frugally but well.

What I Have Been Learning … that God's timing is always best; I need to trust His timing more and rely less on when I think things should happen.

What I’ve Been Noticing …. that lack of sleep = one unhappy and impatient mom.

On The Back Burner of My Mind …. how best to use my less hectic summer months.  I have many projects to work on and feel overwhelmed as to where to start.

In The Deepest Darkest Recesses …. how am I going to get everything done this summer that I want to do?

Homekeeper's Journal ~ 7

Here’s What’s happening …..


In My Kitchen …. pancakes and eggs for dinner. 

With The Children ….. enjoyed spending time with them at camp.  Now we return to math lessons on Tuesday.

What I’m Reading … recipes!  I'm typing our family fav's into a computer program.

What I Have Been Learning … that accepting help from others is a blessing from God.

What I’ve Been Noticing …. that I am falling apart way too fast!  Neck and shoulders are so tight that I cannot move my head without pain.

Something that pleases me … watching my garden grow

On The Back Burner of My Mind …. all the home repairs needing completion.

In The Deepest Darkest Recesses ….sometimes it feels like the more I know God, the farther I go in faith with Him, the farther away He seems and the less I truly know Him ….