Lately I've been feeling like I've been hibernating... just waiting for Spring to come. I miss things like walks in the sun, gardening and many other great outdoor activities! I've been thinking of all the great outdoor things that I really hope to do one day! Like vegetable gardening, canning, herb gardening, raising our own fruit, raising bees, raising animals, and so much more! I want to be self-sufficient!

Speaking of self-sufficiency...

This is an amazing book! I've been making a lot of my own natural cleaners with this book! It's so much fun to clean with something that you made yourself! And that you feel good about breathing in the fumes! I'm really not a big one on breathing in something that could do some harm... a lot of cleaners tell you to be cautious breathing or not use at all while pregnant, so why would I want to breath them while not pregnant? Plus a lot of the cleaners are really unsafe to have around while there are small children in the house. Even tho you still don't want your children to play with or drink the homemade cleaners, it's not going to necessarily burn their insides if they accidently do.

Have you read this book? Or any other good self-sufficiency book? I would love to hear from you!

31 Days to Clean!

I got my 31 Days to Clean E-book a while back and read it completely through! I am going to be doing it day to day now tho! : ) I am really excited to start! I think I'm going to be doing it a bit differently. I am going to sometimes do more than one day in a day and some days I won't be doing it at all. But I am still hoping that it'll take me about 31 days to go through it! : ) I can't wait to get started! I hope to be blogging about the progress I make as I go! : ) Let's see how I do! ; )

I just had to share this!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! Let me know what you think about it!

"JUST A MUM?
A woman, renewing her driver’s
licence was asked by the woman recorder
to state her occupation. She
hesitated, uncertain how to classify
herself. “What I mean is,” explained
the recorder, “do you have a job or
are you just a...?” “Of course I have
a job,” snapped the woman. “I’m a
Mum.” “We don’t list ‘Mum’ as an
occupation, ‘housewife’ covers it,”
said the recorder emphatically. I forgot
all about her story until one day I found
myself in the same situation. The clerk was
obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed
of a high sounding title like “Official Interrogator” or “Town Registrar.” “What is
your occupation?” she probed. What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply
popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had
not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then
I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official
questionnaire. “Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your
field?” Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a
continuing program of research, (what mother doesn’t) in the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out). I’m working for my Masters, (first the Lord
and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job
is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often
work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-ofthe-
mill careers and the rewards are more of satisfaction rather than just money.” There was
an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up and
personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous
new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could
hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a win over bureaucracy! And I had gone
on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than
“just another Mum.” Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title
on the door. Does this make grandmothers “Senior Research associates in the field of Child
Development and Human Relations” ? and great grandmothers “Executive Senior Research
Associates”? I think so!!!
I also think it makes Aunts “Associate Research Assistants”. Please send this to another
Mom, Grandmother, Aunt, and other friends you know. May your troubles be less, your
blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through your door!"

From the NGJ (No Greater Joy) Ministries magazine!
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/fileadmin/template/PDFs/201004_July-August.pdf

Proverbs 31 Woman

I was doing a study on the Proverbs 31 woman and her traits. Here is just a small list of what I got out of my study:

-Virtuous: (Proverbs 31:10 "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies." Others: Ruth 3:11 and Proverbs 12:4) Morally excellent. The quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.

-Gracious: (Proverbs 11:16 "A gracious woman retains honor...") Excellence of manners or social conduct. Characterized by charm, good taste, amd generosity of spirit. Good, kind.

-Wise: (Proverbs 31:26 "She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness." Others: 2 Samuel 20:22, Exodus 35:26, and Proverbs 14:1) Believers endowed with spiritual and practical wisdom. Prudent, sensible, practically wise.

-Prudent: (Proverbs 19:14 "Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.") to have understanding. Discretion in practical affairs. Careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment.

-Good: (Proverbs 31:12 "She does him good and not evil All the days of her life." Others: Proverbs 18:22 and Proverbs 31:18) that which is pleaing or valuable or useul. Having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified.

There are many more things that the Proverbs 31 woman is... kind, gentle, loving... and the list goes on. What a wonderful example the Lord has given us woman to work on becoming like! When you think of the Proverbs 31 woman... what are your thoughts?
When I think of her I think of hard working, kind, a wonderful wife and mother, loving, industrious... I could go on with that list as well. ;-)

But one of the things that sticks out to me the most is she is a servant. She serves her husband, her children, her maidservants, and the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:15 & Proverbs 31:20). Even Jesus didn't come here to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). There is so much we can do for others, if we just put self away and think of other's needs instead of our own (Matthew 20:26).