Ok, so it seems I'm doing all the talking during the day....I am not known for being quiet and listening to the Lord during my daily devotions and prayer time often. I am usually awakened nightly between 1 and 2:30 every morning. The Lord has usually laid things on my heart during this time and I'm ALWAYS amazed!
So last night I went to bed thinking I would get to sleep in till about 7ish at least. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!
I was awakened around 1:20 this morning and was up until around 5:30ish. The thought was could I be praying for the right miracle in the wrong way? I'm praying for a debt free home, red, with white trim. (don't ask...I just want a red home with white trim). LOL
Could it be that God will raise up the $23,000 to pay off this house so that it is completely ours and debt free? Could it be that God will raise up brothers and sisters in Christ to help me repair all the things in this home so that we can live in every room of this house? Could it be that I will paint this home red with white trim?
Now, I'm about to list the needs in this home and I pray I don't offend anyone. I pray that it is not looked upon in the wrong sense. I'm just being obedient.
As many of you know, my mom passed away last Dec. (It's hard to believe it's almost a year already). We have lived on her land for the last 10 years. She left all the land to her grandchildren. So my desire is really to stay here on her land, even though it is hard to not see her piddling with her flowers daily.
The single wide mobile home was a blessing from a dear friend when we were losing our double wide mobile home, shortly after my husband left. I covered the $369 payments until recently. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath.
So here goes, $23,000 is owed on this home. If paid off, it would be a bit less because all the interest would not be included. The home is well over 10 years old and all the pipes under the home are busted. We aren't able to use the bathrooms, but a port-a-potty. I won't explain how we bathe, but WE DO BATHE! ;-) Several places in the flooring in the master bedroom and bathroom have rotted out from leaking as well as the kitchen. We wash laundry at night because the water pours from beneath the house and I know I could be fined BIG TIME if this was known.
My girls share a room and my son and I sleep in the living room on two twin beds. The living room is also our computer room, class room, and sewing room. A bit crowded, but we make it work.
So, I didn't share that for sympathy, but what if..... The world has Extreme Home Makeovers. What if the body of Christ did for God's children what the world is doing?
What if this house was paid off, the repairs done, and painted red with white trim!!! I would have the same miracle I'm praying for. I KNOW God is more than able!
So again, Could I be praying for the right miracle in the wrong way?
Yesterday evening my oldest daughter was offered and accepted a nanny job that we KNOW will go through March. Things will be reevaluated then to see if the lady will continue to work full time.
Ariante` is 18. She will graduate in Dec. She's been wanting a job for the past 5 years to help her mamma out and save for her schooling/missions trips through Christ For the Nations. She will now be able to take over 2 bills and save. This job will not only provide for her, our family, but also prepare her to be a wife/mom one day. she will be cleaning and caring for a baby as well. She's totally excited!!!
Also, my 17 year old, Akyra will be working part time (at least through Dec.) and she will take over half a major bill. She will basically be a mother's helper. She too will be learning even more to care for a home, cleaning and organizational skills, etc. (It's a good thing I insisted they learn these things at home)!
We are all very excited and praising God for His provisions.
It takes our needs from $1100 a month down to $700 a month. As we evaluate their pay, that may go down even further!!!!!
Can you say PRAISE THE LORD???? I AM!!!!!!!!
Also, a dear friend posted our needs on her website. It was unknown to me until afterwards and she asked me to not be mad at her. I'm not mad, but I am just amazed at the outpouring of love from others in Christ. Someone is bringing us food, material so I can sew me some dresses and skirts, we've been offered various places to stay when they do come to get this home, etc. It is just mind boggling to me how when the body of Christ comes together, needs are met.
The question then arises in my mind, if the body of Christ would come together on a regular basis like this, could we eliminate the struggles of single mama's? Could we help the homeless more? Instead of counting on the world to do for HIS children, we come together and do our parts....we really could be world changers!
Check out Mommy of 2 Girls blog to find out more about this giveaway. I honestly didn't know that Lawry's made other products other than season salt!!! Hmmm, where have I been? HA HA, you can tell I don't watch tv much.
Head on over and check it out!
Exodus 5:1 ~ And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, LET MY PEOPLE GO, THAT THEY MAY HOLD A FEAST TO ME IN THE WILDERNESS.
I've often wondered why did they have to go into the wilderness to celebrate the Lord.
Over the last couple of days I have listened and re-listened over and over again to a sermon by Pastor Tony Evans. Revival: The Return of God to His People. I've listened to it sooo many times that you would think I could quote it by heart and that there couldn't possibly be something new to get out of this sermon.
As I was walking around the kitchen, listening to this sermon yet again, a statement jumped out at me regarding Exodus 5:1. Pastor explained it like this...
We think the purpose of Pharaoh letting God's people go was so that they could get to the promised land. That was part of the reason, but before that, He wanted to develop them in the wilderness. He put them in a situation in the wilderness to learn to put God first, to trust Him, to walk with Him, to Serve Him. So that when they got to the promised land they wouldn't forget God.
I thought they wandered around because of the grumbling, complaining, sinning within the people. And then this statement jumped out at me and I tell you God spoke to me.
I am in the wilderness. I did hear God correctly about quitting the full time job and getting closer to home. However, God is developing me in this wilderness moment. It is in this place that God will develop my walk, faith, trust, and relationship with Him.
I seriously ask for prayers. I am coveting your prayers. I know that in this wilderness time as God is developing me, that the enemy is upset. He knows how powerful getting serious about God is. When people of God get serious about getting right with God, the enemy comes out with all he has. He will seek ways to disrupt and distract me from getting serious about God. I go into this with the expectation that the enemy will come, but I'm also praying that he will not be successful with his schemes. Please cover me and my children in prayer, that the wiles of the enemy will be thwarted.
more dresses. I miss my dresses and for the life in me can't remember why I did away with them. I don't want to look frumpy and I don't want to be legalistic, but I did feel more feminine in my dresses.
I think when things settle down with my finances a bit I will head to a few thrift stores and find me some dresses!!! I wish I had more fabric of my liking...I'd make me a few as well. Sighhhhhhhhh
The last three months have been excruciatingly hard for me, but it has brought to the surface the impurities in my heart and life.
Me have impurities???? You better believe it!!!
When you aren't going through the fire, you can wear a mask that the world sees, but God is looking at your heart and shaking His head and grieving. He knows what is in you. He knows what you are exhibiting to others is not the real you. He knows the junk that is in you and He wants to get it out so that He can mold you to be more like Christ.
This is not easy, fun, nor something we (especially I) look forward to.
Nevertheless, this is exactly what has been taking place in my life since August 1.
If you remember, I quit a full time job making $3000 a month to work 2 part time jobs making approximately $1000 a month and cleaning houses. I had planned to take that last full paycheck from my previous employer and pay all bills for the month of August and part of September and financially be ready to deal with the bills working with less each month about mid September. I had planned it really well. However, when I opened my mailbox on Aug. 2, I was plunged into reality and a depth of depression, despair, and uncertainty. I received a final check of $1.56. Yes, you read that right...one dollar and fifty six cents. Upon further investigation with the company and through the labor board, I apparently received my July check on July 1 (even though on July 1 I hadn't worked a day in July). Go figure....I've quite trying to understand this one. Then the 2 part time jobs and houses has turned out to be one part time job and one house. So from $3000 to less than $500 a month, with bills ranging from $1400-$1500 per month.
All my best laid plans were dashed and the true depth of my relationship with Christ and trust in Christ were revealed. Basically, I've trusted in what I could see and what I could do. So my trust in Christ was a bit shallow. I had been leaning on my on self as my source and not the God of the Bible. This time period has even had me questioning my relationship with Christ. It has revealed some things that I didn't want to readily admit.
I AM SAVED!!!! I DO BELIEVE IN GOD AND I HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR. There is no argument there.
But my faith and trust in God were/are shaky. My relationship with Christ...shallow.
But God doesn't want shaky faith and trust, nor a shallow relationship.
This time made me question God. Yet as the days have gone by, I had to and am having to question myself. You see God didn't change...Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
So if God didn't change, that means I did. Instead of drawing closer to God, I have allowed my circumstances to draw me away from Him and His Word. The enemy has used this time to disrupt and distract me because he knows that the victory and answers I've been seeking are in God. I misjudged him yet again!!!!! I was looking for the enemy to come at me one way and he snuck in on me from a different way! UGHHHHHHHH
I've questioned if I heard God correctly. Did I follow my own heart or did I truely hear from God to walk away from that job to be closer to home and my children? I know sometimes He will tell us things to do that don't make since in this world. He will have us do what seems illogical and makes no sense and yet in the end it will have brought us right to a place and in alignment with where God wanted us to be all along.
I'm on the verge of being homeless and a shelter or my van are the only options at this point and time. Money is tight. There are many meals skipped, not because we aren't hungry, but because we have no food. I could go on and on, but I'm not trying to get you to a point of feeling sorry for us, but just get you to a point of understanding where I am right now.
So I've questioned, God did I hear you right? Did I do what You wanted? Why can't I hear directions from You now? Where are You in my trouble?
I don't know if my house will be saved...I don't have the finances to catch up the payment nor to pay the monthly payments even if I could catch it up. But that is neither here nor there, I need to be one with God. That is most important!!!
I'm going to be camping out in 1 Samuel 7 for the next few days, as well as the book of Habakkuk. Pastor Evans has a teaching on OnePlace.com with a sermon titled Revival: The Return of God to His People dated October 12/13, you can listen for free. This is helping me a great deal right now! It's giving me a greater understanding of what I have done and am doing and need to do.
I'm also going to be cutting back on things that are taking away my time with God. Facebook is one of them. I will be accessing it only twice a week beginning this week.
I know this is one area robbing me and distracting me. I had also learned that since I am a person that MUST have a schedule to function, that I need to write in things that even seem obvious to me...devotion time, quiet time, church services, etc. So I have done that on my laptop and now need to transfer this onto my calendar we have on the wall.
I covet your prayers, as I know the enemy doesn't mind us professing Christ, but the moment we start talking about getting to know Him more or drawing closer to Him, he will do all to usurp those plans and intentions. So if me or my family come to your mind, please lift us up to the Lord. My heart cries for a closeness with God that will only come from delving into His Word!!!
It is my understanding that many Christians are saying we are no longer under the law of the Old Testament, but free from the law.
I have a different understanding of this. I understand it to mean we are no longer under the law to ensure our salvation. Because if we are no longer under the law in the Old Testament then that would throw the Ten Commandments out and murder, adultery, lying, stealing, etc. would be acceptable. I'm just saying if we are free from the law in the Old Testament, then the Old Testament is of no importance to our lives today and we can strike it null and void and there is no reason to read it, nor include it in the Bible today.
Maybe I'm not making myself clear so if you can help bring clarity, please do! Thanks
Anyone have a different understanding? Please share...don't attack, but share. Ultimately we must take it before God and allow Him to illuminate His truth to us.
On this day 15 years ago, I was giving birth to my only son. I remember for years saying I only wanted girls. It wasn't that I didn't want a boy, but I was so afraid of all the things that a boy would/could be faced with. (Yes in my young, naive mind I didn't think the girls would be face with these challenges)...Gangs, drugs, drafted into the military, and on and on it went.
Then in 1994 I went to Illinois to help my mother with my brother who was dying. He too was the only son. We stayed for several months, me and the kids, and when we returned back to my husband in Houston, I told him I wanted a son. (LIKE HE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT! LOL)
In January of 1995 I conceived my son. I was sick 8 months of the pregnancy. It seemed to me that the enemy wanted to attack this baby even before birth. I think I gained all my pregnancy weight in that one month I wasn't sick because I ate everything that wasn't moving. Prior to that, the doctor threatened to put me in the hospital because I couldn't keep anything down.
Then October came and my mom prayed her grandson would be born on her birthday, October 8th. That date came and went and she was disappointed, but prayed it would still be close to her birthday. Eight days later we talked on the phone and she again said, I think you are in labor. Head to the hospital and get in touch with your doctor. HA HA, she was right AGAIN!!!!
They wanted contractions to come stronger and faster and gave me pitocin....EVIL DRUG!!!!! It didn't work. God had not only the date in mind, but the time too.
When I laid eyes on that little chubby baby who weighed almost 9 pounds, whewwwwwwww, I fell in love.
I prayed for God to cover him and gave Him all my fears. My children were my delight and now I had a son. I often look at him and think of my brother who passed almost a full year before his birth.
When my dad came to the hospital to see him for the first time, he lifted up his feet and hands and said they were huge. That his hands were so big he'd palm a basketball one day and his feet so big he'd surely be as tall as his grandpa...6'6".
His favorite sport is basketball, but that height thing....well, we still have time. He has no idea what his grandpa said, but he often prays and has said, "mom, I want to be as tall as grandpa was". :-)
I'm so proud to call you son. I love your comical side, but I cherish your compassionate side. Your heart is so big and you've had a love for God all your life. You professed early in life to speak God's truth and share it with others and the enemy has tried to snuff you out a couple of times already, but that's because he knows the gift within you and how it will change the world when God says it's time to bring it forth.
Your grandmother was proud of you and always stood up for you...she gave you your nickname by the way.
You never fail to make me laugh and I'm never at a loss for hugs...even now that you are 15!!!! ;-) Many refer to you as a mama's boy and you are proud of it and will agree with them in a heart beat. I'm proud you are not ashamed. I suspect even through the years to come you will proclaim it from the roof tops that you're a mama's boy and you love your mama!
I can't climb to the roof, but I can yell it loud and clear, I'm your mama and I love you!!!!
Happy 15th Birthday my baby boy!
She will forever be the queen of my heart. Today she would have been 68 years old and though she is not here forme to tell her Happy Birthday, the feelings are still the same. I miss her more than ever.
If your mom is alive, don't take these moments for granted. If you can't get to her to hug her, at least call her and tell her how much you love her. Don't let a moment pass that you will later regret, cherish her now...time is much too short and gone before you know it.
Mom, I can't believe you are gone, I can't believe I can't walk out my door and see you piddling with your flowers, I can't believe I can't hear your voice or see your smile. Your name was only a glimpse into the jewel that you were. It's been a hard 10 months without you, but I thank you for the YOU I see in us! Your legacy will forever live on and we will always remember to Keep God First!!!!
She was a jewel, FAR ABOVE RUBIES!!!! She often wondered why her mother named her Ruby (her mother died when she was just 18 months old). I believe her mother saw the priceless gem that she was. I'm sure when she met her on Dec. 9, 2009, she asked her. What a joy that must have been.
There are so many things I cherish about her. She loved to live life and she lived it to the fullest. She was a classy lady! Her style was all her own and she wowed folks with her cooking! Man, I can taste all my favorites now. She was a mom to many all over the world. Everyone she met would call her momma and she never hesitated to invite them into our home. For years I said I was looking for that Titus 2 Woman in my life...I missed it, she was there all along. Now as I look back to how she welcomed people in our home, fed them, nurtured them, and cared for them...she was modeling hospitality. She wasn't afraid to share Jesus and often said Put God First, though she didn't learn until later in life exactly what that meant or how to do it.
She was beautiful! I loved to see peoples faces when they found out how old she was. HA she never looked her age. The picture below was her last birthday before she passed...doesn't look a day of 67! I always thought it funny to watch the men stare at my momma and she never looked back, just kept right on walking as though she didn't notice. There was never a woman as beautiful to me as she was.
I love/loved her beyond measure. I often pray she knew that! I don't think I said it enough or showed her enough. I didn't realize time would be so short. After losing my brother to Aids, she said she had lost too many children in death and didn't want to lose anymore, we were to bury her, not her bury her children. Not long after that statement, she went home to be with the Lord. No more pain, no more tears, just shouts of joy and laughter! One day we'll see her again, but until then, she's watching over us and I believe she would be pleased.
RUBY
THE JEWEL IN MY HEART
In honor of my mother, I've launched my Etsy shop. If you will be a new mother or need a gift for a new mother to be, please consider purchasing one of my items. There will be several items. At the moment Nursing Cover ups, but soon I will add burp cloths, bibs, snugglies, crib sheets, and crib quilts. Check back often!!!! Blessings
I can't believe the time is so near. Two days from today, my mother would have turned 69 years old and in honor of her, I am opening my Etsy shop on her birthday. This is very exciting and sad all at the same time. How I desperately wish she could have been here to see and hear about this adventure I'm embarking upon. This year has been full of stepping out on faith for me and I just wish I could share it with her.
Sooooooooo, the next few days and weeks will be a bit hectic, I'm sure. Tomorrow I will be selecting a winner for my giveaway. This item will make a perfect gift for one of your expecting friends or a great addition to your baby items.
I have completely enjoyed making the items I will list tomorrow. I've prayed over each item and the person that will receive them as I've sewn them. I pray they will be a blessing to all.
Whenever someone new leaves a comment on my blog, I go to their blog and read all about them. I sure do, know shame in my game. I love to see who's following me or reading my blog. I like to "get to know" a person that way. Then, I go to their blog list of blogs they follow and I go to every blog they follow to see if any of them interest me and if so then I start following their blogs for a while. I often purge alot of them after some time, but I end up following many.
Well, I just went through a purge and deleted most of the blogs that had to do with sewing. I don't know if I'll ever really sew clothing and it's really not a great interest to me at this time. I kept the few that had to do with quilting, Etsy, or those I know that sew gifts. However, after going to Lady Kara's blog, I added a few! ;-)
I found some delightful ones and some inspiring ones too. There is one I just haven't been able to stop reading. Oh another thing I do when I start following a blog is go back to their day one and read EVERY SINGLE POST they have written up to the current one. It's just a quirk I have, I think it helps me to "know" the person a little better. And by the way Lady Kara, I love you! You are my kinda girl (woman)....geesh can I just say girl? LOL
Oh sorry, I digress. So this blog...I've yet to go back to her day one, she has so much good stuff that God has already been using to speak to my heart, that I haven't been able to get to her beginning cause I'm just all over her blog. Now this never happens cause I like things to be done in a certain order and well, I'll just say God has something else in mind this time.
Oh, you wanna know the blog? SORRY. Women Living Well It is so full of stuff. I've prayed, cried, laughed, hoped, been inspired. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!!!!
I'm desperately trying to find ways to keep my budget low as well as eat/feed my family a bit healthier. Seasoning packets contain a lot of good things, but for all the good seasonings in them, they are choked full of things you can't even pronounce!
My remedy...make up the mixes for myself. I did just that within this last week. I've also been known to make up my own bisquick mix, pancake/waffle mix, chai tea mix, and cocoa mix.
Now days you can google just about everything under the sun and that's exactly what I did.
So courtesy of ehow.com, allrecipes.com, and Foodrenegade.com, here you go. I made up batches of 1 cup of each, and put them in small canning jars in my cabinet. We've used the sausage mix and taco mix...yummmmmmmmmmm is all I have to say. AND FRUGAL!!!! Now that I love. Enjoy
Be a sausage maker and make your own fresh sausage. You can put this mix into any kind of meat or casseroles, and make them taste like sausage. Great if you're trying to avoid pork! Sausage patties from this sausage seasoning are fabulous, and can be made ahead and frozen.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons sage
4 tablespoons thyme
4 tablespoons nutmeg
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1
For your sausage seasoning mix, put all the spices and herbs into a small bowl and stir well.
2
Put the mix into a covered container. A 1 cup container with lid is the perfect size for this amount of mix. This makes several batches, so consider making up sausage patties (see recipe below) and freeze them for your workday breakfasts.
3
To make your meat taste like breakfast patties, use 2 teaspoons of sausage seasoning mix per pound of meat. For fresh sausage patties, mix 2 teaspoons into a pound of raw ground turkey, beef, or chicken. With your hands, form 6 patties. Fry them in a skillet with a little butter or oil until they're not pink anymore
In a bowl, stir together paprika, seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, seasoned pepper, thyme and oregano. Store in an airtight container.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
The Players
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper (optional)
The How-To
Now for the easy part: mix all the spices together and store in an airtight container. The optional black pepper is to increase the spiciness based on your family’s tastes and preferences. If you don’t like spicy foods, simply leave the black pepper out and/or be sure to adjust that tablespoon of chili powder down.
The amounts listed above make up about 2 Tbsp. of homemade taco seasoning mix — the perfect amount to replace one store bought 1.25oz packet.
If you’re like me, you’ll want to make more of this and store it in your pantry for ease of use next time. So, here’s the recipe quintupled:
1/4 C. plus 1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
2 1/2 tsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Black Pepper (optional)
If you use the quintupled recipe, you’ll measure out 2 Tbsp. of the homemade taco seasoning per pound of meat. Or, if you’re like me, you simply add it to taste.
