"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:4-5

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Content...With So Much Less


Someone posted this webpage on Facebook and I found it quite fascinating.  It shows pictures of people and places during the Great Depression.  Even more fascinating to me was the following comment that someone left:

"Amazing, outstanding pictures! Although I grew up in the 50’s my family was so poor they lived in places much like some shown in these photos. My earliest memories include living in a tiny wood shack on an acreage, with up to 8 people at a time living in it. No electricity, phone, or plumbing. My mom hauled water from a well in summer, and melted snow in winter (on our wood stove) to get water. She re-made clothes for us kids out of others’ old castoffs, on a Singer sewing machine that ran by operating a foot pedal. We had a wood-burning heater in the living room to give us some warmth in the winters. We couldn’t afford toilet paper for our outhouse, and used others’ tossed out newspapers, or old catalogues, for paper. We ate supper by the light of oil lamps. There were two very tiny bedrooms in the shack, which my father turned into four by dividing the rooms with sheets of plywood. With two “beds” in each room,there was no room for much else. Most of our furniture was made out of old apple crates. My Mom did wash on a washboard and hung it on a line to dry. But, there was a lot of love there and we always had food on the table, no matter what. Thanks for the memories. Those were the happiest days of my life." Lois Hamlett, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I don't know about you, but I was just amazed by that comment!  She gives the description of how she grew up as a poor person, and then goes on to say that those were the happiest days of her life.  Think of the details of her childhood, and then compare that to how the average person in America lives right now.  We have got it GOOD, and yet, so many people are not content in spite of that.  It is just crazy to me how much people expect these days...what they think they deserve (THAT is a entire topic for another post!)...and how they pout and complain when they don't get what they think they should.

God never promised we'd have whatever we want, and I don't think God wants us to want so many things.  The Bible promises us that we will have what we need.  Lois Hamlett, in the comment above, had her needs met, although it doesn't look like what most people think it should.

This post is linked up at:
Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways

Saturday, May 12, 2012

No Mother's Day?

I am beyond disgusted and sick to my stomach.  I can't believe this person is for real!  Just one more incident that shows how far away from the truth our country (and world) has fallen.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/supermodel-ignore-your-kids-on-no-mothers-day-to-support-global-abortion-ac

Friday, May 11, 2012

New Additions to Our Homestead!

Well, here are the pictures of the goats that I promised, along with pictures of our four new ducks and four new hens:


Jake


Josh

Rouen Ducks


Blessings to you!

This post is linked up at:
Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

My Favorite Lunch Lately


This is just a simple thing, but I've really been enjoying it lately.  I guess it would be called a waldorf salad?  What I do is chop up one apple and 2 celery ribs and put into a bowl.  Then I grate a carrot into it, toss in a handful of raisins and a handful of slivered almonds, add a big dollop of vanilla yogurt and a few pinches of cinnamon and toss all together.  It's really yummy!  I sometimes use dried cranberries, and you could use any kind of nuts you like.  My only issue with this is that it doesn't fill me up for long, so it may be a good idea to have something else to eat alongside it.

Enjoy!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Homestead Update!


Hi everyone!  I am excited that things are progressing well on our homestead, and I am loving it so much!

It's been almost a year since we received our two (free) female goats.  I have been praying since then for a free buck, or at least a remotely affordable one.  As most of you know our financial situation, you probably know that "affordable" for us would be a very, very small amount.  But we've been hanging in there....waiting, praying.  We've been wanting to breed our does so we could have goat milk.

And then...Saturday night I looked on craigslist and there was an ad for two free bucks, that were actually intact (this had been the hardest part of finding a buck), at a location just an hour away.  The ad had only been up for about 30 minutes, so I replied right away, and was thrilled to find out that they were still available.  So yesterday morning, we loaded up the trailer with straw and set out to pick up our bucks!  We hadn't planned on getting two, but they are brothers that are very attached, and the owner would only give them away togethter.  They are the sweetest things!  I've heard so many stories about problems with bucks, but these two were bottle fed and are extremely friendly.  We already love them a lot.  I haven't taken pictures yet, but will post them soon after I take some.

I have a lot to learn about breeding, and milking etc, but I have a good book and I'm excited to learn.  I'll also need to buy some equipment.  That is on my list of items to buy for our homestead.  But next up, a few more hens for our flock, and some ducks.  I am excited to sell duck eggs to bring in some money.  I've been selling chicken eggs, but duck eggs sell for twice as much.

Our garden is coming along great!  I took a trip to the store today, and came back with: a blueberry plant, a tomato plant, a catnip plant (AnnaMarie's project--for the kitty, of course!), onion starts, and seeds: beet, carrot, beans, zucchini, and yellow squash.  The onion starts went right into the ground; the seeds will go in soon.  Tomorrow....I plant peas!

As you can probably tell, I am excited about all of this. I LOVE homesteading!  I am also excited to find ways to bring in some income from home.  Selling eggs, and making items to sell from goat's milk: cheese, soap, etc...these are ways that I can make some income but still be at home where I belong.

As I mentioned previously, through these extremely difficult financial times, when my husband has had no work, I have periodically gone through crises of faith.  I can't tell you how many times I've gone on craigslist and looked for work for me.  (Shhhh....don't tell anyone...I'm embarrassed to admit it!)  Nothing ever became of it, of course, and I'm sure God's hand was in that!  But as I was telling my pastor recently, when people look in on us and our situation, I'm sure there are many who think that it does not make any sense that I haven't gone to work.  But I have been standing firm on faith, believing that I am doing what God has called me to do, and that I am going to obey Him no matter what, and TRUST that He will provide.  And He always does!  I certainly don't have everything I want, but we always have what we need!

Things have been looking up some in the financial department also.  My husband got some help with his resume, and his mom helped him get re-licensed, bonded, and insured, which will help a ton with getting work.  He is currently on a job, and has another one after.  Now if he could get some medical help, THAT would be great!

Anyway, back to homesteading...I also was able to acquire a couple more items from my list.  For my birthday, I got a pressure canner, and the hand cranked coffee grinder I really wanted.  Yay!  More reasons to be excited!

God bless you all!

This post is linked up at:

Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways
Simply Living Wednesday Link-Up