Wordless Wendsday (Momma's old kitchen towel)

circa 1950's

Debt free goals! Dave Ramsey Inspired

Awe and Wonder.

As you know we have a desire to be completely debt free. To have an emergency fund. To have our retirement deduction increased, and in order. A savings fund for 3-6 months worth of expenses.
We were able to save a little for college back when the kids were very little.
With so many medical issues we had to stop the college fund a long time ago , but we left it alone. We hope to soon reinstate it.
well...

We cashed three 30 year old US Savings bonds and were able to have an emergency savings fund.

We received our tax refund back. It appears I made an error in the return and upon their correction we received more than we thought we would!
Imagine that!!!
With it we will be able to pay off 2/3 of Doves braces
all of her surgery (that will be coming out of pocket).
Regarding her new surgeon that we met yesterday. He waved the charge for the nitrite oxide (laughing gas) and is not charging me for some numbing spray I requested for her injection site. Her sergery is this Friday, I have to get many things prepared for the weekend of care needs she may have.

Now we also received our tax incentive check.
This will pay for my $1000. toward my implant surgery in August and even allow for the $300. so I can be put to sleep for the procedure.
(our insurance does not cover the anesthesia).
It will also pay off Beloveds new crown. Now that is another thing to have joy over. The insurance told us (after the fact) that his crown would not be covered because it was porcelain. Well the dentist fixed the issue we owe nothing to him, and on top of it they sent out a refund of $27. to us!!!

Beloved's parents took out a small life insurance policy on him when he was an infant. We researched it and....are cashing it out.
We will be able to get Two years of life Insurance on my Husband! We have set in motion to cash it out!
I have a small policy on me that I keep up yearly.
P.S. Do not depend on your employers life insurance for the new laws make it very easy for them to refuse your benefits (if you sue, the law only allows you to collect the premiums that you paid).
With a little left over that we may be able to drive over to California for a beach trip? We have to really pray about doing that.
We have not had a family holiday in 5? years.

We are going to sell our camp trailer and that will give us 3 months worth of expenses in savings and enough to give as well.

Save some
Pay off all
Give some
Spend some
I am amazed at the speed that this is happening!
We are so thrilled to see that we may even get a rest.
I do not know if we will go to California or not. With asthma I think of the fires and bad air.
Wow! I think giving the children and Us holiday would be so good for our souls.

Well I better get back to work. I have jewelry to create and kids school clothing to sew.
Supper to consider as well! I have to also shop for Dove some soft foods.

I just had to tell all of you of the wonderful way I see God providing for us!
I awoke at 3:34 then again at 3:33 I do not know how that occurred but I came in and got into the word and had time with Abba. When that happens it really wakes me up fast to know HE is their waiting to be with me.
He took me to James 1:3 Endurance. :)

Works for Me Wedensday,

Over at rocks in my dryer join us for Works for me

Bar Keepers Friend
after dishes when the sink is wet I sprinkle it all over lightly and let it set until the dust settles
(I don't want to breath it in, I have asthma)
It works itself a bit just sitting there. Then I give a good once over scrub with my homemade scrubber. Let it set a moment and rinse.

This product is so awesome!
It works with very little "elbow grease" ,
That's what my Momma used to call it :)
Look what it does for a sink! Now I use this sink a lot. With all the home cooking I do.
Unlike "comet" My hands are not burned by it.
It works wonders on tile too.

I am not being paid for my opinion.
Just love the product!

Tackle It Tuesday

Oh what a nice day.
I set hubby up a lunch and fed the kids and I.
I marinated some chicken in orange juice, rosemary that dash picked (I had him come in and grind it) , dried onion, garlic salt (it is what helps in the mortar and pestle to make the grind fine. I will broil it this evening.
After many phone calls from other Realtors wanting to re-list our house, I was humored at one point and a Realtor said "How nice it is to speak with a smiling voice"...
Even cold callers need a kind word.
I got good news that Beloved porcelain crown was covered and that we were getting a $27. refund.
we were concerned that it might be a $400. out go. We were covered! ya!
I was able to write a $2000. check toward Doves braces (that is about 2/3's of the debt) YA! and we will need to cover the surgery out of pocket. I think I will have saved enough to cover the cost of the extractions and anesthesia.
We go to Doves surgeon today for the pre operative visit.
I have these dishes to finish up.

For lunch Dash and I made
egg salad...

8 eggs diced
2 tbs Mao
1 tbs mustard
2 tea dill relish
dash paprika

Let your kid stir and they will find joy in eating what they make.
Dove has it on crackers and Dash just in a bowl.
I like it with rye crisps.

This the way I taught the kids to eat healthy.
Let them find their place in it.

The Studio is still coming together, I am humbled that I get to stay here. I have such an amazing studio. I want to learn more about selling my work and helping out my family in this way.

I attended a fellowship last night of four of us ladies getting together from my church and beading together. I had a wonderful time. The hostess gave a soldering demonstration with silver. I made a necklace and bracelet with earrings set aside to finish up.

I am going to design a nice wall above the Phaff to be utilitarian and decritive both.

I was amazed to see that the serger and the embroidery machines fit without even an eighth of an inch to spare.

After a fun *Three* games of Candy Land I served up some "nerds" Candie and soy ice cream. We had a lot of good laughs and fun together.

After the cones we played "Armor of God togeather".
Laughing and having a good time.
Tackle that!
I am so enjoying the kids home this summer.
They are watching the "Pink Panther" now and I am fading a bit. Tired and so peaceful. These kids are so cool!
Dash got a "battle" card on the game and lost his "Breastplate of righteousness" because he...did not help his mother in with the groceries...His eyes watered up and he declared! That is not the truth I always help my mom with the groceries. It was so precious. We exchanged high fives and went on ..., but how dear that even in a game he stood up for the "right things" he chooses to do. I was touched.
They played well with great sportsmanship.
What a fun tackle. Time with our children is often over looked as a tackle soon school will start again. I am so glad that we got to exercise sportsmanship and character and good hardy laughs.
This motherhood gig is awesome!

Marriage Monday

Want this button?

Joy...?
"Hun, He said...I don't know if I have ever really felt that joy that the Pastor spoke about."

I gave pause to thought...Then replied I that "Joy as I see it is a different sort of thing than most may expect it to be or think of it as. To me I have come to think of it and equate it more to the abundant fruits of strength"
The strength to endure to withstand and uphold a banner of purpose and character (with a "Dear God please help me!"). It is that exuberant thrill that comes after the storm of each trial. Beloved and I have had many a trial, many a challenge a test as it were. This most recent challenge to sell out the estate. To become debt free to be willing to let go. Only now being able, to more deeply regain and receive what possessions and luxuries
we do have. The opportunity to support the union by walking into the goal...counting all loss, but to see my husband free. Yet freedom comes in so many different ways. It is for freedom sake that I packed this home and opened it for weeks to strangers on end. It was for freedom sake that I was more than willing to receive a house that even the Realtor was stunned that I would consider.
I am my beloveds and he is mine. The banner we hold over each other is love.
It is that love that will empower me to work toward the debt free goal even though we are not selling out. It will be a long term goal that will take all the support I can give to my mate. He has a dream and a desire and it is one to travel. It is that we are one. That it is a dream I share with him. It is my hope to get employment in the fall. A thing I thought I would Never want to acquire. It is in all things working together to accomplish a goal. It will take me to a newer level of strength to learn more about selling and merchandising my jewelry.
The Joy , the joy is the strength that I am witness too. It was with great Joy (strength) that I packed and let go of this home with an open hand. It will be in joy that I return. Returning into this home will take great strength. Box after box and it will be a Joy (strength) of character to let go of those things that are of no purpose here anymore.
The Lord gives me strength.
It is the Joy of the Lord that is my strength. Being like Him (as I am able) strengthens me and the victory of exercising that strength bring floods of joy as a benefit to the prudent.

May we all find great Joy (God given STRENGTH) as we live our lives with character and dignity. Setting our eyes to the prize and not to the struggle. For if not for struggle we would all be weak saplings snapped in the storm.
Trees of righteousness firmly planted , strengthened as the wind blows our forms into twisted weathered beauty.
Above all... guarding our hearts that we not loose our gaze upon the greater prize of it all...

The Joy.

Unpacking my beads and sewing supplies

I will post tomorrow.
Good night
)

Sunflower Heart gets to come back home.

Good Morning!
You are my Sunflower video
Oh so Good!
Our contract with the Realtor is up on Monday. We have "come on home".
Please celebrate me home!
My Beloved, feeling poorly, poured his heart into mine yesterday.
Independence Day! Free from selling and moving out we have "come on home".
With so many wonderful lessons along the adventure.

To our delight we are re establishing our living room the way "WE" love it.
It felt so nice for our little family to watch movie night in the living room together. Well I left after supper to play (work) on my fabrics.:)
I just had to!

We used a chair on wheels to move the television into the living room. We still have the other half of the entertainment center to move.

I have gone from this week sewing here to ....

THIS!
Oh! Glory ! Oh Joy!

I watched a lot of u-tube videos and found some ideas for my new sewing room.
One of the many perks of packing the house up is now that we are unpacking I get to start all from scratch and create a wonderful studio.
I am so grateful to begin again.
I have a clean palate of a house .
We have all the walls freshly painted.
When we moved here it had rose pink carpet throughout.

This will be my new sewing station. We sold the sewing desk that was once here.
This has been used in Hubby's old office, Dash's room and now it will become my sewing desk.

This is the view of the cutting table storage from behind.
All of my supplies, well not ALL of them but box by box.
It is very hot out in the garage so we have to just do a little at a time.
I will be very choosy about what comes back into the house.
We will still be making great efforts to become debt free.
So I will be selling things as I sort out.

I have got to have color!
This is a beautiful fabric I got when a sewing store closed.
I will do the kid's bathroom in it.

I will create a flower, and earth theme I think.
I love the cute little insects.
Life! I love life all around me.
They will match the kids decor

So much JOY here to get to stay!
I was willing and took all measure to let go of my home and it has been given back to me.
I let go and God said learn, stay and continue to grow.
I will most likely get employment part time in the fall.
It will be a job caring for the elderly I think.
We will continue on our budget and financial plan. It will be a much slower process.

Kit Kittredge tells what she knows, reporting. A great movie!

Acts 1-7
He said to them " It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest art of the earth"

Daddy Man had the children running word possessor today. They are doing reporting of the things they witnessed yesterday. Typing and asking for word spellings.
It is a joy to behold!
They are so excited to share what they know.
This is happening at their request.

We saw the Movie Kit Kittredge Yesterday. Great movie!
About the pre-depression era. How wonderful to see them act it out.
The lead character was an 11 year old little girl who wants to be a reporter. She takes notes about what see sees, hears and experiences and writes articles. Note the hair cut :)
She is reporting on a boat she say in the theater lobby.

Dash is writing a story about a man who had his money stolen.
How the man is going on a quest to find his wallet.

She wants me to drive her to the theater to get a picture of it.
She is so excited to add things to the report. "people wanted to touch it so they had to put ropes around it"...

They are hunting and pecking the letters out.

They are so involved!
" and it shall be in the last days that I shall pour out my Spirit upon all mankind: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..."
It begins through equipping them with the knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
It begins with the fear of the Lord. :)

Oh my goodness this is so cool!

Yes my friends I really did cut off the 8-9 inches of hair I had worn for that 30 something years.

Freedom is not Free!

God bless America

Liberty is a Gift!

Sunflower Heart

Last night while with my friend I awoke my heart.
I walked by this magazine and felt alive when I saw this cover.
My heart leaped and I am listening.
I will be doing the kitchen and art studio in this type of pleasure.
I will have a sunflower day.