A Fall Tour

Well, in the spirit of the season I have some fall decorations to share. I put all of this together Friday for our Ladies Night Out Thanksgiving Potluck that evening. It was worth every second. The ladies enjoyed themselves and we had some wonderful food!
So enjoy the colors of fall!

A cute story about that tablecloth. I have been wanting it ever since I first laid eyes on it. Imagine an orange plaid tablecloth! All of my favorite things. Well, I could never find one to fit my table. I have two folding tables put together making one LARGE table. I found this in the clearance isle on Friday and called DH to make sure it would fit. He advised me to get two but I could only find the one. So I resigned myself to picking up the two orange solid color table cloths. As I trekked back through the store my eye fell on a second orange plaid tablecloth. Could it be the right size?? I rushed over to check and IT WAS! I was so happy. I ran to the check out with my purchases forgetting to remove the solid colored tablecloths. Thankfully they were on sale as well.
I love fall!

Be Blessed!

Caring for the homeless and downtrodden

Our family has a vision of one day owning enough land to build some small cottages. These cottages would first be used for our parents if they wished. They would have their own homes and be independent while having us close by to care for them. If they choose not to join us on the homestead we would reserve the cottages for ministry. For families who needed a place to stay for awhile. For missionaries home on furlough. For other ministers away from home doing God's work. For single mothers and widows. For anyone who lost everything they had because of an accident or job loss. As the responsible parents of children there would be rules and much discernment over who stayed on our property, but there are enough people out there who just need a hand up that I know we could be a blessing to many.
We plan to have a functional farm to help feed these boarders and others. We would require most people staying with us to help out around the farm. I would love to have a huge farm table that everyone was welcomed around. Or if they wanted to eat in their cottage that would be fine as well.
Dh has lots of plans for recreation areas on our property and we both have major visions of hospitality.
This is what we are striving for as we watch our finances and save where we can.
But what can we do right now?

My heart has been pondering this for awhile now. When Jesus saw someone hurting or helpless did he just pass by? I want to help people out. I want to do it with more than just a check to some random organization. I have been looking for ways to help. Here are some ideas.

I am going to purchase boxes of the prepackaged tuna and cracker lunches and canned chicken salad with crackers lunches and keep them in my car along with peanut butter crackers and bottles of water during these winter months. When I see someone asking for money I will share with them. Because of where I grew up I can't in good conscience give money. I know some will disagree with this, but the things I saw these mentally ill people do with the money given to them broke my heart. In my eyes they need a meal more than crack or alcohol.

I have a dear friend from the Philippines. In January she is heading there to help with flood damage. She is using her own money to send food, clothing, blankets... I am going to contribute to those boxes. I am also hoping to slip her some money before January to help with her expenses. She is the cleaning lady at a fast food restaurant.

I am going to the thrift store to load up on heavy blankets to donate to the homeless shelter this winter. I also plan to pick up heavy socks brand new to donate as well.

Roy and I are hoping to take the kids on a mission trip next year. Maybe not to another country just yet, but some place here in the US that needs some sort of disaster relief. I had thought of contacting the Red Cross and asking about opportunities for families with children to volunteer.

I have been busy stocking my pantry and freezer hoping to share with single mothers, widows, and others who might need a meal or two due to finances or illness or death.

I started last year purchasing gift cards to send to families right before Thanksgiving so that they could have a good meal or even some Christmas presents.

If you knew me at all you would know that my compassion and mercy are seriously lacking. I think that is one of the lessons God has been teaching me this year though. The theme of my happiness and comfort does not matter is really starting to manifest itself not just in faith but in works.

While I do take precautions, I mean Jesus was a single man and I am a mother of young children, I know that God will protect me as needed.

Yes, my husband is still jobless, but I think that God expects us to keep on giving. He is our provider. :)

I did not type any of this to pat my own back. Its a huge burden on my heart lately and something I think that we as Christ followers are seriously failing to work at. I hope these ideas will move you towards reaching out to the less fortunate.

Be Blessed!

Practicing Hospitality

Recently we were able to open our home again after a long season of closed doors. It was hard for me and I dreamed, dreamed, dreamed of the day that I could invite others over or even into my home. We still have a little ways to go in having a more comfortable welcoming atmosphere, but it's nothing that we can't live with.





As I mentioned yesterday I am making some meals to freeze not only for my family but for others who might need a little help during the month. Roy and I were talking yesterday about how not worried we are about spending the money to make all these meals.





Roy is out of work right now and maybe to an outsider it is not wise to offer to feed others with our food. But quiet frankly I have always enjoyed feeding others. I don't think I have ever felt like it was a burden.





I had one friend last year that was so upset with me because I would offer to feed everyone at our Life Group meetings. She thought it was unfair for me to have to cook for every one, but I really enjoyed it. I always make a lot of food anyway, just because I have a small army to feed.







I believe some of it is because of how I grew up. I have a very dear friend who spent many hours feeding groups of people at her house. She still does actually. Her house was always full of fun and laughter and food. The front door was always opened. I remember thinking that it was I wanted so very much. The cost of making extra really does not mean anything to me. I believe that God will always provide for us.

I like to think of the widow woman in 1 Kings 17. The one who provided a meal for Elijah with the last of her food. God restored the food to her and made it so her oil and meal lasted until the end of the drought. I have no doubt that as I preform the duty of hospitality towards others that God will expand my freezer and pantry with more than enough food until the drought of unemployment has passed.

Hospitality is not only about opening wide your doors for others. It's about providing for the hungry. In Isaiah the other day I read the most remarkable passage.

Isa 58:7

Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?



Isa 58:6

¶

[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?



Isa 58:7



[Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?



Isa 58:8



Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.



Isa 58:9



Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;



Isa 58:10



And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday:



Isa 58:11



And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.



Isa 58:12



And [they that shall be] of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

These verses spoke to me on a deep level about what I need to be practicing in my hospitality. I will share some more this week on hospitality and the reason these verses caught my attention so much. Until then I pray that you too will realize what a blessing hospitality is not only to others but to yourself.

Be Blessed!

In the Kitchen

I decided recently to take up bulk cooking again. Of course with my large family anytime I cook it's bulk cooking. But I mean making enough to freeze for later.
We have been bombarded with illnesses and deaths around us lately and I wanted to not only have something stored up for my family but for others as well.
Our ladies ministry usually has a cooking day where we make and freeze meals for occasions such as this but we have not been able to do that this year and my freezer (which held all the meals) has run dry. I am looking to store up until our next cooking day.
In the past when I have tried this on my own I have been overwhelmed and quickly all the
great plans I had ran the way of the dinosaur.
This time I decided to try something a little different. For the whole week I will be making 1 or 2 meals to freeze every day. For instance today I made a Macaroni and Beef casserole. We will have one for dinner and I have three more to add to my freezer. Tomorrow I will make Beef Stew. Tomorrow night we will have Beef Stew and I am hoping enough to add three or four bags to my freezer.
Some people might think that I should just do it all together and get it over with or that I should do my beef stuff one day and my chicken stuff one day ect.. but I have tried that. I really think this will work better. By the end of this week if my calculations are right I will have at least 20 meals in my freezer.
I will let you know how it works out. :)

Be Blessed!

Books I'm Reading

Can you guess what I'm planning? :)
I am planning a big one in April when Karly turns 13. That's what started me reading and collecting tea party books. She will be 13, a young lady. I want to make that important step a big deal. She will begin to put away childish things (though not too many too soon!) and learn how to be a godly young woman. We will have a nice tea for all of the girls and women that we know. I am so excited and so is she.

Of course I have decided that we should practice. :) So the girls and I will make it a point to have tea at least once a month while the boys go do a boy thing with daddy. Hopefully we will be able to do it more, but for now I will just aim for once a month.

What are some of your favorite tea party books?

Click on books to go to Amazon.

Welcome

One of the things I like best about having these new floors is that I feel free to open my home again. As I cleaned today and made a salad for some friends coming over for lunch I thought of how much I enjoy just inviting a friend over.
I stirred the lemon aide and hummed a merry little tune. I'm grateful for friends. I'm grateful for a home I can invite friends to share with me.
I need to do it more often. I really do enjoy the feeling of opening my home.

Be Blessed!