Tip of the Day 9/10/12

105 Days 'til Christmas: I love the Upper Midwest, and our corner of Michigan, for many reasons. One of the top reasons is 4 real seasons. For many years I traveled to southern California in October to attend a conference. One year I was with a friend who is from there and remember her commenting on how she loved the feeling of the changing of the seasons. Having left Chicago to travel out there I always had a hard time packing because I had put away most of my warm weather clothes, what little color was on my legs had begun to fade, and I could never figure out how to dress for Fall without sweaters and boots. 90 degrees just did not feel like Fall to me. Living in the Upper Midwest has taught me there are more than just 4 "seasons" to live with though. We have Earwig Season when it is cool and rainy in May. There is Dust Season when it is cool enough to have the windows open, but not much rain, in July and Au

gust. Late September and October usher in Mice in the House Season as the corn is harvested. My favorite is mid-October, Welches Grape Juice Factory Season, when all the vineyards are harvested and when you step outside that is what you smell. Right now, late August-early September is Cobweb Season. They are every where. No matter how clean your house is, you will discover one in a corner you dusted the day before. This past week we watched as a large spider created a beautiful web suspended right outside the French doors to the deck. It was so fascinating to watch "Charlotte" work spinning her web. We stood for a while just watching her. The web was about 10" x 10" when we had to sweep it away. It was right in our faces as we walked out the door. As fascinating as they are, no one wants to walk into a web. Several years ago I discovered a huge web right outside my front door by walking into it. We don't go in or out that door every day, so it was undetected until my face came in contact with it. After much arm  waving, gagging, and yes, spitting, I got the broom to sweep it away only to discover "Charlotte" had deposited hundreds of eggs and all the little spiders seemed to hatch at once when I swept at the web. It was a traumatic experience that I do not care to repeat. So, now is a good time to sweep away the webs around the house. Inside use a long handled duster or broom covered with a washable or disposable cloth to sweep across ceilings, corners, under cabinet edges, and door frames to clear any webs that have been created. Keeping them clear will help keep Cobweb Season from turning into Spider Trauma Season.

 

Word for Today, Strength: This is such a big word. It can be examined from many aspects, physical, spiritual, personal, corporate, etc. It is the core of our survival. When we are ill, we are weak. When we are facing a tragedy, we are weak. When we face temptation, we are weak. Our bodies begin to weaken as we age or live with a chronic illness. In times of trial we are faced with feelings of not being able to carry on. Some days it seems that the "one more thing" is the one that will send us over the edge. But I have good news, Jesus said, "When you are weak, I am strong." And, "My strength is made perfect in your weakness." He proclaimed, "He is our strength." He doesn't just give us strength, because then it is about us, instead He actually IS our strength, and that makes it all about Him. Are you hurting, are circumstances conspiring against you, does it feel as though you have nothing left to give? Turn to the One who died to carry it all for you, the One who, "bore our sorrows." In Him you will know strength. "My God shall be my strength." "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you."

Tip of the Day 9/8/12

107 Days 'til Christmas: It feels like Fall in most parts of the country today. The changing of the seasons is exhilarating and inspiring. Football games are on the agenda for today. Farmer's Markets have late season produce available. It is nice weather for a hike or bike ride. It is Saturday and Fall, don't miss it. Make nachos and watch the game, Pick up some squash or tomatoes and make a beautiful soup. Take a hike or ride and stop for a coffee or tea afterwards. Just don't waste the day. You can't get it back.

Word for Today, Forever: "Nothing lasts forever." Things break, companies lay people off, friends we love move away, people walk away from marriages, relationships, and friendships, people we love die. The landscape of our lives are in a constant state of change and we feel like we have no control. All of these situations leave us feeling shaken and some are very hard to understand and recover from. The saddest things in life is to see someone reject the only thing there is a forever guarantee for, a relationship with your Creator. His very name is Everlasting. Choosing to not have a relationship with Him is the only case of something being one sided. His choice has always been and always will be to have a relationship with you. When someone makes a commitment to a relationship and then chooses to not remain committed to it, can be even harder than a commitment never being made. There is a tearing apart. The lose of something we thought was forever, leaves a hole in our heart. I believe there is a hole in Jesus' heart from every person that once made a commitment to follow Him and has walked away. It isn't too late, He is waiting for you to come back. "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart." "What profit is it to a man if he gain the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

Tip of the Day 9/7/12

108 Days 'til Christmas: I am not good at doing nothing. That is not poor grammar, I just have a hard time not being about accomplishing something. Today I am accomplishing resting. :) But as I rest I know I can still be accomplishing things that make me feel better. I will finish my book for book club and I will read the instructions for the projects I am making f

or Christmas gifts. As I listen to the rain I can relax about missing one of my favorite garage sales and I can plan which pieces of fabric I purchased at a sale yesterday that I want to use for which projects. Since becoming a Pinterest user I have pinned a lot of ideas on my boards and have used a lot of the recipes. I have also looked back through the ideas and been purchasing the items needed to make the items. Last week I sorted my craft drawers and now I know what I can use for many of the projects. I used the idea of hanging my fabric on multi pant hangers and can now see what I have to choose from for the projects. I have begun physically and mentally sorting the items for the projects. Looking through what I already have encourages me to undertake ideas I like. As I sorted I found everything I needed to make autograph books for the grands to take to Disneyworld. I set the items aside to make soon. I found srtrapping and cord I can use for other patterns I thought would be fun, like the log carrier and felt Mr. Potato Head set. If you are a crafter, sorting or looking through your supplies can bring inspiration. Maybe you purchased something thinking you would use it for one project, but didn't. When you look at it now, can you see a new use for it? Get inspired by going through your craft supplies. If you have become a pinner, become a doer! Share with us what you are working on. Look back through what you have pinned or purchased and make a commitment to it. Decide who to make it for and tell others you are going to do it. Ask them to ask you how you are doing with it. Get busy, you will feel great, unless you have a cold and need to stay in bed. :)

 Word for Today, Language: Have you ever been to a foreign country and wished you could understand the language? When we moved to Africa we discovered most people spoke English, but they also spoke Kswahili and their tribal language. It was so exciting to learn some of their language to share. One of our guards, who spoke very little English, loved for us to be able to greet him with karibu inst

ead of hello. Often the problems begin when you speak one word and they assume you know more. I read a book this summer by 35 artists that spent time living in Paris. It was sad that the one thing they all encountered was rudeness when they spoke French to a shopkeeper. They said they were often ignored, or told they pronounced the word wrong. I think anyone at least trying to speak the language of the country they are in should be acknowledged and encouraged. One of my sons-in-law's mother speaks virtually no English. She knows I don't really know anything beyond Hola, Buenos Dias, gracias, and I know she doesn't know much beyond hello and thank you. But we carry on conversations. I have no idea what we have talked about, but I like listening to her. In the book of Hebrews in the Bible we are told that God spoke to us "in Son." This is like Nico's mother speaking to me "in Spanish." It is a language, and "in Son" is a language of love. It is said the best way to learn a language is by immersion. Children that are raised in a dual language home have no trouble learning both. It becomes harder the older you get. You are more set and tuned to the language you have always heard and spoken. The same is true when it comes to God's Word. The longer you have waited to listen to His voice, the harder it can be to understand. But He made a way, He speaks to us "in Son," a language anyone can understand. We will come to know the sound of it without effort, to know the difference between it and the language of man, when we immerse ourself in it. Reading it everyday will work like the teller's learning the difference between real and counterfit money. We will be able to recognize a man speaking genuine "in Son," or "pig latin." Start today to learn a new language and you don't need Rosetta Stone to do it. Just a Bible, God's Spirit, and a good church with a teacher that speaks "in Son."

Tip of the Day 9/5/12

110 Days 'til Christmas: As you make your plans for projects to complete this Fall, here are a few ideas that should help.
-Dust the ceiling fans, top and bottom
-Take apart box or window fans and clean before storing
-Sweep the outside of your house, cobwebs are traps for leaves and other debri. The house will look better and you won't walk outside and end up with a

face full of cobweb. Yew!!!
-Wash lawn furniture, cushions, and covers before storing. If any need replacing, purchase now while items are on clearance.
-Repair and clean window screens
-Sweep the garage and rearrange items to easily access winter boots, shovels, etc. BEFORE it snows
-Before it is time to pull out Christmas decorations give each of the "public" rooms in the house a deep cleaning. If you do 1 or 2 each month, Sept., Oct., Nov., you will be ready to decorate and entertain.
-Clean and inventory your kitchen for the holidays. Did you use all of the pumpkin pie spice last year? Can you find the cookie cutters so you can actually make the cookies this year instead of giving up because you can't find them? Would silpat mats be a good expenditure? Are your cookie sheets clean and ready to use?
-Clean the oven
-Clean the refrigerator

By doing these tasks now, you will be prepared for winter and the holidays and it is being a good steward of your belongings.

 

Word for Today, Sweet: It has been almost two months since I quit eating sugar. I have had it a few times, but it really has lost its appeal. It is said it takes 21 days to form a new habit and that was why I tried 21 days without sugar, and it worked. Our bodies know what they need to be healthy, pure, and strong, and mine recognized it does not need sugar. On the other hand if I decided to

go 21 days without water, my body would protest. My skin would begin to look unhealthy, my inner workings would not function well, even my eyes would begin go look dull. Closely look at someone that drinks soda, wine, or even juice all the time compared to someone that adds water and water based foods, i.e. vegetables, to their diet. You can physically see a difference and it isn't just their weight. Their good health shines from the inside out. When Daniel and the other Hebrew young men were taken to serve in Nebuchadnezzar's court the king wanted them fed his rich foods, but Daniel and 3 of his friends asked if they could be given a diet of vegetables and water instead. If you know the story, Daniel and his friends were the healthy ones in the end. I have discovered that the sweet I think I want or the junk food I decide to eat isn't near as pleasing or satisfying as I thought it would be. It tastes good at the moment, but the way I feel later isn't worth it. This is how the things of the world are, the movie might seem fun or exciting as I am watching it, but the images it leaves behind aren't worth it. The activity may seem like the cool thing to do at the time, but the after effects are not worth it. We all know indulging in things not good for us have lasting effects, weight gain, lung cancer, memory lose, are major ones, but the subtle effects are just as bad, lack of judgement, lose of friendships, nightmares, wanting more and never being satisfied. On the other hand, the more we feed our body, soul, spirit, and mind the healthy things available to us, the more we will crave them. Just like not going to church for a few weeks gets you in the habit of not going and before you know it you haven't been there in 6 months or a year, being there every week causes you to crave more. When I eat a healthy meal it is satisfying and I look forward to the next meal. I love that the Bible so often talks about good food and eating with others. It is a joy to share good food with others and is not nearly as satisfying to eat alone. Develop good habits, eat the food of God's Word on your own each day, but don't forget to enjoy a great "meal" with others. Jesus didn't eat alone, He had a habit of eating with friends. Give it a try and it will become a good habit for you. "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

Tip of the Day 9/4/12 bonus

Tuesday Bonus: I just finished cutting up a 1/4 bushel Roma tomatoes and put them in the oven to dry. As I was working and looking out the kitchen window at my beautiful flower garden, I was thinking about what led me to that task. Last Fall I thought it would be great to put in a small garden this year, so I did some reading. When I come up with an idea, I want to be well informed before I ta

ke it on. I had a garden many years ago and don't remember much about it except from the pictures (it looked huge) and what the kids and my husband tell me about it. When I see the pictures I realize I really was sick during that time. :) After doing some reading, I came to the conclusion I would plant a few containers this Spring and prep for a bigger garden for next year. As Spring drew closer and my back got worse, I realized even container gardening wasn't going to happen this year, if ever. Then the crazy weather hit and our local farmers began reporting how much damage there was and how the produce was really affected. Our choices were going to be much slimmer than normal. My usual produce stand did not open at all and I began looking for another to buy from. There are 12 or more within a five mile radius of my house. The next closest one has two buildings, one indoor type shop and next door a roadside stand. They never did open the shop this year. As I was garage saleing I stopped at a few to see if they were the right one for me this year. That was how I found Alex's Veggies. They are just around the corner from the one with the 2 shops, and across the street from one that I know the family. I was drawn to Alex's and am so thankful. Sheryl is a tremendous blessing. I told her I was looking for 1/4 and 1/2 bushels of several things. She put me on a call list and I waited. I had asked for bell peppers, the ripe ones had been destroyed the previous day in a freak hail storm, so she had to wait for more to ripen. Two weeks passed and she called to say she had zucchini, when would I like to pick it up. The next day I picked up MY 1/2 bushel, they picked it for ME that morning and had my name on it, and paid $7. Two weeks later she called and said the peppers were ready, did I want all one color or mixed. You all saw the picture, $10 for a 1/2 bushel. Later that week I picked up a 1/4 bushel tomatoes for $3.50, 1/2 bushel onions for $15, and this week 1/4 bushel Roma's for $5. All of these were picked when I said I would pick them up. Along with the blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries earlier in the summer, and the peaches and apples I will have to get from another farmer since it is Alex's VEGGIES, we will enjoy a lot of great food this winter. The point of this rambling muse, "God works all things together for good." As I move our house away from unhealthy additives and more whole food, I was blessed to support a local farmer. My back is healthy, Alex and Sheryl gained a new longtime customer, and we helped support our local economy. This was the right choice and the direction God led our family. Support your local businesses, develop a relationship with the proprietor, consider their needs as you fill yours. We are in this together and can be a blessing to each other in these days of uncertainty. I may not have bought enough to keep Alex and Sheryl in business another year, but hopefully I helped encourage them to keep doing what they love.

Tip of the Day 9/4/12

111 Days 'til Christmas: That probably isn't the subject line you wanted to see immediately following "99 Days of Summer" and on the first day of school. However, it should give you hope because it is more days than Memorial Day to Labor Day. The key to seeing that number is what you will do with each of those days. Will you use them wisely, or when you see the count

down at, 31 days 'til Christmas, will you panic? By establishing a plan now, you can enjoy all 111 days and relax during the entire holiday celebration. Summer is a time of, spontinaity, Fall brings routine. This can be good, if we use routine wisely, instead of being stressed by it. We all have calendars that look full, especially if you have children still at home, and if you work, and if you volunteer, and if you have a life, period. By pre-planning your day, week, and month, you can lower your stress level. I start by looking at the big picture, what do I need, or desire, to accomplish between now and the holidays? I know I want to wash the outside of the windows and clean the furniture. I need to finish making and purchasing birthday and Christmas gifts. Apples will be ready to make sauce in a few weeks. We are going to Shreveport at Thanksgiving and I want to take the pictures I have been sorting for my daughter, as well as Christmas gifts with. The curtains need to be washed after windows being open for the summer. This is the big picture, projects that are not weekly or everyday routine, so which Month should I plan to do each one. What are the activities that I need to accomplish each week is next in my planning. Every week I know I need to type worship and the prayer list, once a month is the addition of the bulletin which includes planning the menu for Cafe' Calvary. I also have a Sunday School lesson to prepare each week, and in the Fall is the addition of my Ladies Bible Study prep. By knowing my regular activities, I can easily look at the extras and see where to plug them in. This week I know I need to finish up Christmas and Birthday gifts to take with when I go to Oklahoma next week. We also have a visitation to attend Thursday evening and an event to work on Friday evening. Add to that one less day in the week for routine and I will only plan on one big task this week. There is a 1/4 bushel roma tomatoes in my kitchen to be dried and along with my other prep for Oklahoma, I will not pursue any of the other "biggies" on my list. Start this short, busy week by listing what you hope, and need to accomplish this Fall. We will make it to a restful holiday season together.

 

Word for Today, Sit: As you know, I am not a sitter. I have a tendency to be more Martha of Bethany (ok, Stewart), than Mary. That is why I take the time to read God's Word before I get out of bed. I am called to care for my home and husband, but if I neglect my soul, I am not good for anything. So, I established a good routine for me, put a load of laundry in the washer, reheat the cup of tea

my hubby made for me before he left, pick up the Bible he left next to the cup of tea (we read the same one in the morning as a way of drawing us closer), crawl back in the bed and read. I have started my responsibilities for the day and then am not distracted as I spend my needed time with my Father. I love to get lost in His word and don't want to put it down. It is a time of fellowship and communication. I may read verses that have been turned into a song I know, and I sing the full song before I read further, a verse may speak something to me that reminds me of something else I have read and I need to look that up and then contemplate it. It is possible to spend time most days in real fellowship with my Creator. There is a little story I love titled, My Heart-Christ's Home by Robert Munger. It is about a man that meets with the Savior every morning, they enjoy sweet fellowship by the fire. The man grows, but as time goes by he gets busy and doesn't stop by the fire every morning. One morning he happens to notice the fire burning in the hearth in the room where he always met with Jesus, so he steps in and finds Jesus sitting in the chair where He always sat. When the man expresses his surprise, Jesus explains that He has still been there every morning waiting. As you begin your Fall routine, kids off to school, regular work hours again, full schedules of activities, homework, etc., or an empty house for the first time, establish a routine for meeting time alone with your Heavenly Father. You will find the sacrifice of your time is nothing compared to the sacrifice He made for you. "Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted." "Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still." "Be still, and know that I am God."

Tip of the Day 9/1/12

Word for Today, Strength: I promised a few weeks ago that I was not going to take part in political debate with all of you. You are my friends and a persons political choices are personal. I vote my conscience and I want you to do the same. My concern is that I make the choice I believe God would have me make and that I exercise my right as an American to make my choice without pressure, coerc

ion, or criticism. My choice is based on the things I know about the candidate as being true, fair, just, and most of all strong. I want to look to someone that will lead my country with power and strength. I want a leader that exhibits leadership! I want a leader that is real, listens, understands, has experienced the lows and has risen to the heights. I want a leader that is every man, and yet knows how to stand firm and exhibit strength and power. Not a dictator, but a person of understanding of how to get done what they have promised they will do. I don't want shallow promises, I want knowledge and action. I want a leader worthy of following. In this world, in every campaign, there is NEVER anyone that fits that description. Every candidate will be lacking in some area. That is why I have chosen who I will vote for and unless they demonstrate something that goes against my conscience, I will not change my mind. I have not chosen the man, the personality, or the platform, I have chosen to exercise my freedom to express who I am by accepting a person to lead me that I believe God has led me to vote for. Is he the best person for the office? No, but he is who I believe God will allow to represent my interests on this earth. There is only One who throughout eternity past and eternity come that represents all my interests without any fault, and I have chosen to put my full trust in Him Alone! He, only, will never fail, or lie, or dictate. He alone rules from knowledge lived as a man like me and yet sits on a throne. Who are you following? "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength." "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom."