Free Chicken!

Don't forget that today if you dress up like a cow you get a free combo at Chick-fil-a!!! Enjoy...

Thrive!
Frances

Please Pray

Please pray for me as I am headed to speak at a girls' teen camp! I can't wait to spend a few
days encouraging then in the Word!! I won't be posting until the weekend:) Thrive this week...

Free To Give - Great is HIS Faithfulness: Part 2

I want to pick back up on the Free To Give series...focusing on how Great is His Faithfulness! If you are just here for the first time you can see part one of the story here. Here's the rest of the story...

So, after a heart change from the Spirit and practical advice from Dave Ramsey...we began to wet our feet in living completely debt free. It has been a journey. Trial and MANY errors! But, through it all...we did NOT use credit. God always provided just enough...and most of the time MORE than enough.

But, an experience rocked my world in February 2010. God brought a woman in great need to my life and her family brushed mine for a few mere hours and God did a work in my heart and our family through God's provision to her. You don't need to know the specifics...but it grew my faith and my trust in the Provider and Lover of my soul in such a powerful way. He performed a financial miracle in our lives that reminded me that God does not need our money (sacrifice) but a pure and contrite heart that gives cheerfully in faith!

At that point, Jay and I began to pray like crazy over every single financial issue in our lives...knowing that God desires to bless us SO THAT we can be a blessing to those around us. Not to hoard it. Not to love on it. Not to waste it. Not to become distracted by it. To be a blessing. Remember Abraham? He was blessed SO THAT others would be blessed through him.

In March, Virginia needed braces. Did we have $3,000 to pay cash for braces? Um...NO. What did we do? PRAYED! Yep, we told the girls about our need, we knelt each night together beside the bed and prayed SO hard for God to do a miracle. We did not tell anyone of our need or amount. We know too many people who would give to us out of compulsion. We knew God would supply...just as He did for the men and women of the Bible and in Christian History (We love us some George Mueller, Amy Carmichael, etc.).

God totally provided! On the very first appointment we were blessed by God to be able to write a check for the exact amount! He provided a timely large check for a large portion of it (praise God!) and we had the rest in our small savings account. Our whole family rejoiced in the answered prayer that God provided for Virginia's braces. Every night we had prayed over the need and waited on God to provide!!

Then, about 2 months later in June, both of our cars had check engine lights on. In Georgia, you have to pass emissions by the time you get your renewal for tags. So, we had to take our cars to the mechanic to be fixed. To make a long story shorter...the total cost for that ONE month was $1500. Did we have $1500 in some kind of savings account? Did we have that in our checking account? NO WAY!

We got together as a family and prayed so very hard. But, God did a few things differently this time. First, He had already been moving our hearts to live to be free to GIVE. So, at the beginning of the month we had already begun to cut, cut, cut, cut. Everything was under examination and prayer. And not only did God change our budget, He changed our American mindset. This is how it happened...

Jay's birthday was June 27th. We had to get both cars in shape to pass emissions. The first set of repairs on my car was $600. We prayed and prayed...and when Jay looked at our account we had enough to cover that amount. Then, the light was still on. Back to the mechanic. The estimate...$600 more dollars. Hmmm...what is God up to?

Jay listened to what they said about the car and what needed to be fixed. The mechanics even offered to let us pay a little now and the rest when we got it (how amazing is THAT?) since we ALWAYS pay in cash. We thanked them for their kind offer, but felt in our spirits that God would provide...if we waited on Him. Jay got the car back (without repairs) and we waited. God had not provided a way yet. What would we do? How could we get it fixed? No one even knows our need....not family, not friends, not our church. Only God.

Then, God reminded us that there was another way...should He ask it of us. What if we didn't drive that car? What if we lived like most of the world and WALKED to work...which is church too(only 3 miles), grocery story (less than a mile), etc.? What if we just used Jay's car (which doesn't have air...but most of the world doesn't even know what air conditioning would be like!) and left that one in parked until God provided the cash? Would we trust Him even then? Would we wait on His timing? Hmmm.

So, we prayed and waited and cut more of our "wants" out of the budget. A few more days went by and Jay sat at the computer looking over the month and God worked the money in the account to not only be able to pay the $600 for my car, but the $300 more for his car to pass (tomorrow's story!).

This time was different from the braces when a large portion was given to us. That is a miracle! I love it when God moves His people to GIVE and bless others! It's so fun and so wonderful.

But, this last one was more intimate. It was just between us and God. No one knew our need. No check came in the mail. No extra money mysteriously floated our way. It was by His hand alone that this miracle happened in our account.

It wasn't anything we did. It wasn't anything another did. It was only God. He wanted to see how much we would trust His faithfulness to provide EVERYTHING for us. And then, in doing that He changed our hearts to see that if He doesn't provide for that then we will do without it...until He does provide.

It might be hard (walking 3 miles to work in July!). It might be uncomfortable. It might be scary. It might be lonely. It might cost a great deal. But...giving up a few creature comforts in this world for treasures in Heaven...there's no comparison. None.

God didn't ask us to walk to work...this time. He didn't ask us to go without at all. He did ask us to wait, pray, and have FAITH. The American dream says do it NOW, your way, and on your own. And sadly for far too many years that was how I saw finances. Just do what you gotta do. That's why we have credit cards...and loans...and mortgages...right?

If we are going to FREE to GIVE, then we gotta stop giving all our money to the bank for interest. We gotta free up the income God graciously provides, those who have jobs, to provide for our needs and then become a blessing. We are merely a steward of God's resources...not the owner. (That's Dave Ramsey talking there!)

This may be a harder call for many of us than making our own laundry detergent and household cleaners. This was one of the hardest and most humbling journeys of my life (outside of parenting!). And yet...it has been the most JOYOUS!! It has changed my heart about prayer, the power of the Spirit to work in our lives, and the faith I have in God. It's been nothing short of amazing!

I share this with you to encourage you. I was asked to share with my church and I told them these stories. I want to shout the faithfulness of God all day long in our lives! These past few months have changed me. They have grown my faith in God. They have brought our family into a fresh power of the Holy Spirit through prayer and utter dependence on God alone for our needs. They have refined us and convicted us...and help us shed the trappings of this world a little more.

We have not arrived in all of this. I was never so happy to see the July 1st payday! But, God provided...

All.

By.

Himself.

I love you Jesus!!

And the winner is...

Jay drew names for me and my sweet friend Meredith won! I have your address and will be shipping the shirt to you soon! Congrats and I pray that God will continue to allow us all to overflow into the lives of those around us! Love to you all my friends...and have a happy 4th of July!

Great is HIS faithfulness - Part 1

I want to share a few stories with you that have literally brought us to such a fresh and powerful place of total dependence on our Lord. I am only now able to share one of these as God has once again opened the doors of heaven and provided for us.

We have been amazingly blessed that God sold our house 3 years ago in two days, for cash, at the price we wanted. AMAZING in a market that was beginning to crumble! At that time, God granted us the privilege of being debt free. We sold our home, paid off our minivan, all medical and credit card bills...and moved into an apartment. We thought we were headed to live in Africa at the time...but God had other plans. He moved in our hearts the desire to live completely debt free...forever.

This my friends, was a new and unfamiliar idea. See, in my flesh, I deal with impulsivity. I am spontaneous, energetic, passionate...and want to tackle the day all at one time! I want to do it now! That is great when it comes to follow the plans God has for your life. Not so great when tackling that day brings Vera Bradley purses...that need a matching wallet, keyring, luggage, folder, and stationary. You think I kid :)

In my flesh I see something...and I RUN hard after it...TODAY...no time to waste...go for it! Like when my husband went out of town on a mission trip to Mexico. I took those 10 days to paint the ENTIRE OUTSIDE of my house and the garage!!! I'm talking scraping, power washing, cleaning gutters, sanding, painting shutters, trim, and the WHOLE house a completely different color. BY. MY. SELF.  In JUNE!

Ask my friend Shannon...she was there as I teetered near disaster on a ladder painting. I looked so horrible that one of my neighbors didn't even recognize me in my husband's clothes with a baseball cap on...painting my HOUSE! That is the kind of woman my husband got yoked up with:) You should have seen him pulling into the driveway...priceless!

But, this impulsivity can be quite a challenge for my very level headed, business major from Auburn husband. Can I give you a for instance? Want to walk down memory lane with me a bit? Good...

Jay and I are just married (13 years ago last Monday!!!! Love, love love him!!!) and for some CRAZY reason my wonderful husband (who was going to be a CPA before he was called into the ministry!) decided to let ME be in charge of the budget. Ahem...I know.

Well, for a while I tried desperately to manage our checkbook, keep up with pesky debit card receipts, and try to pay bills. Months into this disasterous wonderful arrangement we had, we get a very thin little envelope from the bank. In it was a kind little letter saying that we were in overdraft and that they had ever so kindly decided to charge my account that didn't have any money in it...MORE money. Yeah...I never really understood that logic either. But anywoo...

My husband promptly calls the bank and finds out that we are over $200 in overdraft!! Now, when you are in seminary, newly married, and making a combined income of $16,000 a year $200 is a LOT of money!!! Actually, it's a lot of money no matter who you are!

So, he comes to me and asks me to sit down and let him look over my checkbook register. Oh, I don't even want to tell you this story...but I must. You won't get how amazing my God is...unless you see the amazing weakness of this vessel.

I take out my checkbook register and hand it to him. He opens it and is silent for a little while with a puzzled look on his face. He turns to me and he says, "why are all your debits in whole dollar amounts?"

"Well, I just round the transaction. See, if the amount of the purchase was $5.20, I just put $5.00. But, if the purchase is $7.80 I would round up to $8.00," I explained innocently.

"WHAT!!!!!!"

Yeah...that WHAT could have been heard clear to Africa. He was in total shock...and not all together happy at that moment. Then he demanded to see the statements the bank had been sending. (Uggg...I am cringing at myself!) I handed him a folder stuffed with UNOPENED envelopes that I supposed must have been statements...though I wouldn't know because I NEVER opened them:)

From that moment...my husband went up to the bank and paid the $200 and then closed our account. We had to move banks. There was no recovery from something like that. And then...he took over the money. But, I still didn't have any heart change. I just figured I wasn't any good with money. I entered into the blissful land of ignorance of all things money and went along my merry way.

Now, we have never had money. We have almost always lived on one income (except when I worked and he went to school before I had Anli). So, I never spent big...just impulsively. That wrecks havoc on a budget, my friend! So, each month we were a bit off here, a lot off there...use the credit card for medical bills, car repairs, and co-pays. If we didn't have it...I just charged it. They were all what I thought were "necessities." And never once did I consult my Provider in prayer. I just did it.

Years and years go by and we grow further and further into debt. Nothing like the statistics Dave Ramsey quotes, but too much! It was sucking our income and we were in bondage to the lender...like Scripture warns. We couldn't give more...because the credit card interest and bills were wasting away what God had given us. It was a trap...and I felt more and more convicted.

THEN, I read an amazingly convicting book by Wayne Coleman called "Obedience: The Key to Prosperity." It ROCKED my world! I would sit reading it (I was helping Wayne find a publisher at the time) and literally just cry. I would read portions of it to Jay and literally want to sink into the grave. I was undone.

He used Scripture to convict my heart of lack of prayer, lack of trust in God, and selfishness. It was a huge turning point in my life. Then...Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace entered the picture and gave common sense ideas to living debt free forever. From that time on...our lives have been different.

Credit cards were NEVER allowed into our lives again. "What do you do?" you might ask. How do you deal with car repairs? Medical issues? Unexpected expenses? I can now truly tell you how!

Pray.

I mean for real, desperate, on your face with your kids kind of prayer. That has unleashed the POWER of the Holy Spirit in such way that we have been changed forever. We can't go back. We have tasted and seen how God provides and moves mountains and does miracles...that we just can't ever go back to the bondage of the world. It's exciting!!!

So, now you are caught up. You know my weakness in order to glory in the strength of Christ through this. I am going to share a few amazing stories with you over the next few days. But, you had to start here with me in order to see that if God can change this girl...He can do it for you! His Word promises it!

But, be aware! It is NOT easy. It is NOT popular. Satan wants you to run hard after the American dream! He wants you in bondage! And he does NOT want you to trust God and pray...no way! But, it is possible to live debt free...forever!

I can't wait to share these stories of HIS faithfulness!

Don't Forget!!

Don't forget that the Watoto giveaway ends tonight! Right now...only ONE person has registered...so Michelle you might just win by default my friend :) If you would like to register or see the shirt just click on this

 post from Friday.

Have a great Tuesday...and I'll be back with more fun ideas for us to save in order to GIVE. And let me warn you...it might get a little extreme from now on...I've been easing you into this thing ;)

Red Tent Project Update!

I am so excited!! Today, my sweet friends Julia and Elizabeth from church brought a huge bag filled with the envelopes and inserts for the precious girls in Ethiopia! I couldn't believe how beautiful they were and I loved the fabric!! I had only found solid colors...so I was thrilled they had used some fun colorful fabric.These are just a few of them!!

**If you missed what the Red Tent Project is...here's a reminder.**

We will be shipping off the shipment to the coordinator this week and they will then be on their way to the girls in Ethiopia who are in the older girls transitional home. I know there are many of you who contacted me about helping with this project...and I think it will be an ongoing need. I can give you the information of my contact if you are still interested in a fun and AMAZING summer project! It's such a blessing to be a blessing...

Thriving 365,

Frances

My First GIVEAWAY!

I am so excited to have my very first giveaway! Recently I posted about Watoto and the ministry they have in Uganda. I ordered a shirt for Jay as a Father's Day gift to not only get a really cool shirt for him (and I got one too!) but to financially support Watoto.

So, when I got my order (2 days later I might add...they are so awesome at this ministry!) there was an extra shirt in the box. Then, I found a precious note from Megan who had been to my DFM website and found the post I wrote on Watoto. She graciously sent me an extra shirt and I want to share it with you (since I have already been sporting my Watoto shirt that I ordered!).

Here's the deal...I want to do a giveaway for this awesome shirt and get the word out about Watoto and their heart for loving orphans and widows in Uganda! Here's what you can do to win this shirt:

*Go to Watoto's website and then come back here and share what ministry touched your heart the most in the comment box.

*Link this giveaway to your blog and then let me know in the comment you make too.

Then, you can be entered twice:) This is super cool since this Justice shirt is NOT on their website to be ordered! So, if you are touched by this ministry to orphans and widows in Uganda and want to show that this summer...enter this contest and I'll send it out to you!

The giveaway will be closing Tuesday, June 29th. I'll announce the winner and get your email so that I can send it to you next week! Here's a look at the shirt...it is a ladies' large.

Front:

Back:

Enjoy!!!

Compassion

Last week, Shannon and I had a WONDERFUL time working the Compassion booth at the first night of Atlantafest at Stone Mountain. We rode together and enjoyed some time to just catch up together. God had given me an idea to really connect people with sponsor children by wearing our kids photos clipped to our shirts so that people could see our kiddos! It was really neat that we both got to tell our stories with others and encourage them to take a step of faith and show Jesus' love to a child in need.

Since we were the first volunteers of the event...it was just the two of us...and we had NO idea what we were doing:) But, our friend James showed up and we were in charge of getting everything ready. We got to go through all the packets for the kids and arrange them...fall in love with all of them...and set the whole booth up for the rest of the week. We talked to lots of people and even had the privilege to see two of the priority kids find a sponsor.

OK...cool God story! As we were organizing all the kids by their countries, then alphabetizing all the countries, and then making sure that every country was represented on the table...we got a first hand peek at ALL the kids. James told us to make sure that the "priority kids" had a special spot. Neither of us had any idea what a priority kid would be. He told us that they are kids who have been waiting longer than 6 months and some of them over a YEAR for a sponsor!!

Many of them were older kids and many with HIV. Our hearts were just breaking for these kids. And Shannon found a cute little priority fella that she wanted to sponsor and he had been waiting the longest for a sponsor. She couldn't get in touch with her husband in time...so she put him back out on the table. THEN...a couple who had been coming by a few times decided to sponsor him!! God had put that little one on Shannon's heart for a reason!! It was SO cool.

Then, the rains came and we had to shut down the booth (it was almost at the end of the concert anyway!) and headed home. It was an incredible night! I am so thankful I got to share it with my friend Shannon...we laughed (at ourselves!) and had the best time talking to people, sharing our sponsorship stories, and just serving those who need it the most.

If you haven't sponsored a child with Compassion, won't you go to the icon above and check it out? And if you would...could you pray about taking a priority child? You can ask specifically for them. PLEASE pray and see how God might connect your family with another. It's awesome and we are SO blessed by our two kiddos! Go ahead and check it out...

Ultimate Adventure Camp

This week we are having out annual Ultimate Adventure Creative Arts camp and having a BLAST!! This camp is really the start of our summer musical that we do each year. We are there from 9am - 2pm each day and we do all sorts of creative things together.

We have a wonderful art teacher who does all the crafts...which are all props and set design. So, the kids learn all about what it takes to create a great set...and they even get to do the promotional materials for around the church. It's just so awesome to involved them in every single part.

We rotate to different areas doing solo practices, drama practices, props and set design, and dancing. They eat sack lunches with us and then we go to Bible study which is my part! This year our musical is about suffering for the sake of Jesus...or what we THINK is suffering. It talks about real people of the Bible that truly suffered for their faith and how God encouraged them and was always there for them through all of it.

So, this year our Bible Study time is on the persecuted church. We are taking material from Kids of Courage which is a division of Voice of the Martyrs. The first day we did an awesome underground Chinese church service. The kids broke up into three groups and then they had to follow cryptic codes to find their Good Book and copy verses from it to bring to the meeting in case we were raided by the secret police (Mr. Jay!). Then they had to get their next clue to find out where their flashlight would be and then crawl and sneak their way through the recesses of our church to a small room none of them had ever been to before. It was completely dark and we sang together...worshiping God. We talked about and prayed for the persecuted church of China...and even learned part of the song Jesus loves me in Mandarin. It was AWESOME!!!

One of the parent told Jay today that at the table last night they were praying and their daughter prayed for almost 5 minutes for her brothers and sisters in China...TEARS!! God is just so amazingly good!! Being with children totally shows me God and a true heart of faith. Love it!!

Today, we traveled to Tanzania Africa to a small city called Kigamboni (which is one of my favorite places!)where we would experience church African style! Now, Jay and I both have been to Africa...and I have been twice and worshiped in African churches. So...I was a bit partial to this day myself:)

The kids had to work together to walk 10 miles (OK it was just around the parking lot!), ride the ferry (smooshed together like real Africans) and then find me under a huge tree where we sat on the ground in the almost 100 degree heat and praised God together. Every child brought something to our service. Some girls had babies strapped to their backs, others had baskets of cups and snacks for when they arrived, some boys carried the Bibles, and other strong boys carried the water for us to have when they arrived.

On the ferry to Kigamboni...they had to ride for a while all together!

We sand and the kids even got up to dance with me at the end! I am so in love with Africa...

The kids did great...and they learned that most of the world does not worship with air conditioning, lights, sound systems, projectors, childcare, cushioned seats, several services with any type of music you want, or yummy coffee brewed fresh as you enter. It was great for the kids to feel the heat, sweat, deal with the bugs, and sing together and worship God. We ended praying for our brothers and sisters in Africa and how many of them are suffering because they love Jesus.

Tomorrow we travel to North Korea and find creative ways to share the Gospel in one of the most closed countries in the world. I just can't wait! We are also doing a mission project through Voice of the Martyrs to send an action pack full of simple clothes and needs to be send to Christians in the Middle East.

What a great week! What a huge blessing to learn about Jesus with these cuties! And...since my hubby is the children's pastor...we all get to spend the week together! Thank you sweet Jesus for your amazing blessings! We love you so very much!

Free to Give - Clean for Cheap!

As I looked at my monthly expenses, I found that cleaners was another BIG sucker on the budget. So, that is what I wanted to tackle next. So Alysia has provided us with some recipes that she and I have both tried. These took me less than a few minutes to assemble and they work great! Also...they are free of all the major chemicals and so you are not only saving money to give...but you are creating a healthy lifestyle. You are also relying less on others to make everything for you and your family! We are not helpless women...we can take a small amount of time to make some of our cleaners and have fun doing it with our kids. My husband likes helping too:)

Here are some of my favorites!

All Purpose Spray


Mix 1 tsp washing soda into 2 cups of hot water until dissolved.

Add:
*1 tsp liquid castile soap
*Note: I use Dr. Bronners that I find at Kroger in their organic section in the cleaning supplies. You can use any kind of liquid soap you like! It is a little pricey...but you only use a small amount and I use this stuff for EVERYTHING! So far I use it for my dish liquid soap, dish washing detergent, in homemade shampoo I use, the all purpose cleaner, our hand soap, etc. And in doing all of this for the past month I still have about 3/4 of a bottle left! It just depends on how much you are going to use it for and...if you get the Dr. Bronners with Tea Tree it will have germ fighting ability for sure! (See info below)
*2 Tbs vinegar
*10 drops essential oil of choice - Now if you are not familiar with essential oils, you need to do a little research on it on the internet. I have a friend who is a master herbalist and she has given me TONS of advice on these. You will need to find a natural store to buy them. I have a great place that sells them for about $5 a bottle and I use just a few drops! I will be glad to answer any questions I can in the comment box!

Here are my recommendations if you are not familiar with essential oils (from Denise Jacob, master herbalist, of Affussion Skin Care):
*Lavender - smells WONDERFUL and is a great stress reliever. It's great for air fresheners around your home, hand soap, etc.
*Tea Tree Oil - this stuff is a GREAT disinfectant! I use it in my all purpose spray along with some lavender. Tea Tree has a more medicinal smell some people don't like...so you can pair it with another nice one you like. But, I use this stuff all the time! Be sure to buy pure essential oils...and you must dilute them.
*Rosemary - This oil is an anti-viral and I put this in my bathroom cleaner that I make. Basically the same as this one above but with more tea tree and more rosemary in it for deep germ and virus fighting!

Those are the only ones I have right now. My next one will be peppermint (for my homemade conditioner) and maybe a rosewood. We'll see! Pace yourself...don't feel like you have to get them all at one time. They last me for a REALLY long time!!

* Use this cleaner for everything except glass and windows, as it will leave a streak in them

Furniture Polish

1 part lemon juice
2 parts olive oil
15 drops essential oil

* Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well before using. Use a dry cloth with this on wood furniture

Dishwasher Detergent


Put 1 Tbs washing soda in each cup of your dishwasher. Put 2 tsp liquid soap in the washing cup along with the washing soda. Fill rinse cup with white vinegar.

*I use this at it works really well! Remeber that washing soda you bought for the washing detergent? Well, get it back out and put a small container under your sink with a TBS on top to scoop it out. Put your Dr. Bronners next to it and you are ready to go!
***Note: There are times when I do have a slight film on my glasses. Our dishwasher is really old and so I had that some with my other detergent also. What I do is take my dry cloth and just wipe down anything that has a little film on it so that it sparkles. The white vinegar helps to make your dishes not be filmy...so it just might be our dishwasher.

Scouring Powder


Fill a container with baking soda and drop in approx 8 drops of essential oil. Put a secure lid on the container and shake vigorously to distribute the scent. Sprinkle this on any surface you need to scour, but test first for delicate surfaces. This can be used for:

sinks
toilet bowls
tubs
caked on dirt and burned food on dishes
to buff up stainless steel

Foam Hand Soap

For this you must have one of the foam pumps from another time you bought the soap. I had 1 of those in each of my bathrooms and when they ran out, I used this recipe...so I wouldn't have to buy more!

Fill the foam pump bottle with 1/3 castile soap (Dr. Bronners or your own liquid soap you already have) and the rest of the way with water. That's it! I do either use tea tree Dr. Bronners for germ killing properties...or I put a few drops of tea tree and rosemary oil in it to kill germs and viruses. But, that's just me:)

As of now...I have relocated my cleaners into a box at the top of my laundry area. I didn't want to throw them away in case I ran out of something, didn't like something I made, etc. But, so far...I don't even go down the cleaner aisle in the store! It saves me SO much money because the things I invest in are cheap and go a really long way! Even the castile soap and essential oils will last me for a few months and I use them for everything. They are all natural, wonderful smelling, and do the job great!

Next, I will be sharing a few fun recipes that will help you get rid of buying all those boxes of snacks and save tons of money, eat healthy, and be more global in your way of eating! And...they are yum yum good!

Free to Give - More Ideas!

OK...today I am having lunch with my amazing mentor Dorothy along with my kids whom she sets out her HUGE dollhouse to play with while we chat! My girls thanked the Lord for "getting to go to Mrs. Dorothy's house" in our devotion time this morning:) The neat thing is that she and I have been meeting together at least twice a month for the past 6 years and it has been wonderful for my soul and for my practical life. She is a precious widow who has loads of amazing advice and wisdom to give me...I love it!

So...I am kind of rushing this morning between dividing up my Amish Friendship Bread (which I did NOT kill this time...thank you Mary!!) to give out to my neighbors, having my dishwasher leak when I turned it on (thank you Lord for living in an apartment...just a phone call and it's all better!), and trying to get out the door to her house. I thought I would just share some really fun and easy ideas that you may have already heard of or do yourself...but just need a reminder or encouragement to do it...so we can give more!

Here we go...

*Wash out and reuse your ziplock bags. Take one time and invest in the good ones and then wash them out after that. Seriously, I have timed myself and it takes me less than 30 seconds to wash out the bags and then I use a clothes pin (1 dollar for 12 of them) and hang them up in my pantry. I love to save to give...but I don't want my kitchen to look like Sanford and Sons moved in:) This saved me about $6-8 a month on sandwich bags, freezer bags, and snack bags. Enjoy the convenience without all the cost!

*Stop using paper plates. Ugg...this one was hard for me because I love conveniences! I used paper plates for every single lunch we had. But, it was not a necessity and in trying to live more in line with the rest of the world...it was something we didn't need. Now, I don't even think about it. I had bought these small little plastic plates with sections in it for the kids to eat on a long time ago. That way I can put their fruit, popcorn, and sandwich on the same plate and that is all I have to put in the dishwasher for lunch. We even sometime use them at night. That alone saved me almost $10 each month! That is 1/3 of a Compassion child monthly right there!!!

*Get into the habit of each family member using only 1 cup each day. This will help to cut down how many loads of dishes you have to do and money too! We used those paper cups in the bathroom for the girls to use when they brushed their teeth. They would use and toss...use and toss! So, we got rid of those. Again, I had bought a small set of cups from the dollar store that had blue and red cups. So...each morning Virginia gets a red cup and Anli gets a blue cup FOR THE DAY.

I put them right on the counter and they drink from them all day long. Jay and I have larger cups that we set right there on the counter next to their and everyone now knows where the cups stay and at the end of the day or the next morning (if they drink from them during the night) they get washed in the dishwasher. This has been a HUGE time saver for me...and it cuts down on those little paper cups each month. That saved me another $3 each month or more.

*Embrace Ivory soap! My girls and I all had body washes that we ran through at least once a month. The girls would squirt WAY too much out onto their puff and then lather up:) Well, we switched to Ivory soap that is $1 for 3 bars (we all get our own!) and that has lasted at least a month. It lathers up just as nice, smells so pure and clean, and gets the job done! This has saved us at least $8 each month!!

Because I had been using moisturizing body washed for so long...when I switched my skin felt a little dry. But, I stuck with it because my skin needed to regulate its own oil supply and learn how to regulate itself again as God created it to do. Now...it's so soft! Ivory is completely pure and so you don't have all those chemicals and parabens on your body and in your body...so it's better for you and your kiddos!

*Stop paper towel craziness. I keep a basket of rags handy in the kitchen to mop up spills, dry off random things, etc. We all wash clothes every day anyway, so throwing them in there is no biggie. I only use PT for cleaning the bathrooms and for messes that are super grody- like puke or mud all over the floor. (this was directly from Alysia).

OK...I am still working on this one. I cut up a large old towel and made some rags that I didn't care about getting gross. I have them in a little basket too...and I am weaning myself off paper towels. I LOVE paper towels. I go through a LOT of them! I know...it's bad...a sickness really. I have cut my use to about half...but still have a ways to do. That alone saved me at least $5 each month already.

Today's Tips Savings Each Month:

About $34!!!

That is FOUR dollars away from a Compassion child each month!!!!

Well, I have successfully gotten to having too much fun writing all this and now I gotta run! Pray for a sweet lady named Jeanette that the Lord connected me with during my prayer walking time this morning. He is just SO good...got to pray right in the street with her...I love you Jesus!

Atlantafest and Compassion International Event!

Tonight begins the annual Christian Concert series of Atlantafest at Stone Mountain. The exciting thing I want to share with you is that Compassion International will have a booth there tonight through Saturday and we would love for you to stop by! My friend Shannon and I are working at the Compassion booth and we would love to see you...SPONSOR A CHILD:)

So, if you are going to be at Atlantafest please make sure that you stop by and allow the Spirit to lead you to a precious addition to your family! Trust me and the 1 million other families who sponsor children through Compassion International at this time...it is AMAZING!!!

Click on the icon above if you have any Compassion questions, can't come to the concerts but want to search for a child, or are ready to sponsor someone TODAY! It is just one way that we can produce lasting fruit my friends...see you there!

****New Post Below****

 

Free To Give - More thoughts from John 15

Today, my gathering time with the Lord revolved around John 15. Many of you know this passage as it is about Jesus being the True Vine and we are the branches...and it we abide in Him we will bear much fruit. Without Him...we can do NOTHING! As I have moved further and further along in this chapter, I came today to another part of this passage. In verse 12 Jesus says:

"This is my commandment: Love each other in the SAME way I have loved you."

The same way Jesus did it. How did He do it? Well, Jesus tells them in the next sentences what this love will look like:

"There is no greater love than to lay down you life for your friends."

Who are my friends? Glad you asked:) Jesus goes on to answer that for us:

"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit."

Why did He do all of that? Why did He lay down His life for those who believe? Why should be do the same?


Jesus came to us when we were still overwhelmed with sin in our lives and laid His life down for us...those who will believe. He has told us everything that God the Father has said, chose us, and appointed us to GO and produce LASTING fruit.

Those who truly remain and abide in the love of God will follow His commands and the example of His love. But those who really abide in Him...will hear everything the Father has said. They will seek deeply after His Word and listen closely to all He has to say. They will run to the Word knowing that God Himself is confiding in them as friends. The Spirit who searches the deep things of God reveals them to us...so we have the mind of Christ! Can I get a Hallelujah?????

But, there is another part. We are appointed to a task. We are given a job...chosen for us by God. We have an assignment...

Go.

And produce LASTING fruit.

Don't miss the parallel. Don't miss tension we face here...

In order to ABIDE... we must GO. In order to REMAIN...we must go out.

This morning as I was walking and praying around our complex with my dog...I just confessed how I don't truly live with the urgency that 4.5 million people are walking on this earth and are completely lost. They have NO idea what the love and the glory and the salvation of Jesus Christ are like. They haven't met the friend that has laid his life down for them. They don't know what it is like to be called friend instead of slave. They can't imagine producing anything other than a nice paycheck to pay for a nice house and have a nice life. They are producing nothing.

And yet I meet those folks at the stores, on the street, in my complex...and many times I am way too busy remaining and abiding (or so I think!) and I haven't even stopped to GO and produce lasting fruit. Fruit that will be in eternity with me. I glide by humming my praise songs...

We are APPOINTED to GO and produce lasting fruit!!!

I am appointed to GO and produce lasting fruit!!!

We have been chosen as friends of GOD! He has a plan and purpose for our lives...and that means we GO. It means we run to spend time with the Lord every single day in order to hear the things He will confide in us as friends. And then with the humility of being a chosen friend of God...we GO...and full of the Holy Spirit we have the power to produce His lasting fruit.

Oh, Jesus may it be true in my life. Continue to fan the flame of passion for the lost in my heart! Please keep giving me creative ways to reach those around me with the kind of love You gave to me. May I have the courage to lay down my very life for the sake of the Gospel today! I pray for my Afghan brothers and sisters who are literally right now fleeing for their very lives. I pray for them to know the deep love and strength in their weakness. May Your glory shine so brightly in their lives!! My my heart be always mindful of my brothers and sisters in the persecuted church. And may I lay down everything I have to join them!

Free To Give - #3

Today I thought I would share one tip that has SO touched our family's heart. One week when I was down in Clarkston, the girls and I were headed  to eating lunch with Alysia. She called and told me that she would gladly make lunch for us and she would be serving rice and black beans. Now, to be quite honest..my girls had NEVER eaten rice and beans...ever.

I told her we were so excited and when I got off the phone I told the girls what we would be having for lunch. Now, the great thing about my family is that they will try anything. They are always curious and ready to try it. Now, they may never want it again, but they will try it. So, I told them we were having rice and beans and that since Mrs. Alysia was cooking it we KNEW it would be yummy! The girls were just wonderful with it...but I was a little afraid they would take one look and one taste...and not want to eat it. I was nervous for sure:)

When we arrived, she had quite a spread and we all sat down to eat and it was INCREDIBLE! As we talked I told her how awesome it was and she told me WHY they eat mostly a diet of rice, beans, and veggies with meat being an extra special treat once a week (and for leftovers). It touched my heart deeply and I wanted to share this with you.

She shared that most the world lives on some kind of diet of rice and beans. Coupled together they create what is called a complete protein. It keeps you super full and satisfied (without that terrible too full feeling) because it is something that your body can take almost everything from nutrition wise. I thought about that...

If you look around the world at feeding organizations, you will see them with large barrels of rice and then large barrels of some kind of bean mixture...and sometimes...a little pulled meat on top. Now, if those organizations have one shot a day at feeding these children I would think they would choose a meal that is not only economical, can have a long shelf life and survive shipping, but also be super nutritious and filling for their little bellies.

So, I came home and shared all this with Jay and we began a new family tradition. We began to have one night a week that we make some kind of rice and bean dish. We don't have any meat and eat simply. It is our meal we eat together as a family to remember and focus on the world and reality and being thankful. That meal is not only super duper yummy, super duper cheap, but last week we ate off of it for FOUR days!! We LOVE leftovers...like crazy!

Alysia had added a few yummy things to the rice and beans that just took it over the top good and we went with that recipe as well. Take a look at this simple meal:

Recipe:
*Dried Black beans - $1.72 (this has enough beans for 3 recipes! We made the amount on the instructions and we had enough for all of us to eat at various meals for 4 days!!!)
*Jasmine rice - $2.00 (this has enough for us to have rice meals for at least 2 weeks!!)
*Avocado - $1.50 (we used one for the original recipe and it lasted for 2 days. Please make sure you drizzle them in lemon juice if you keep the remaining for leftovers...or you will have a brown gooey mess!)
*Tomato - $.60 (one good sized tomato lasted for about 3 days of leftovers)
*PLAIN yogurt - $3.00 (We got a huge 32 oz. of organic kind that we only used a TBS of for each serving. I have other recipes to use it for...so you could get a .99 small container in the yogurt section).

-Soak your dried black beans according to the directions (6-8 hours) on your bag and your serving amount. We made 2 cups of beans and it lasted us for 4 days...LOTS of beans!!
-Cook your beans for about 1-2 hours (just put them on and leave them to simmer). I put some chicken bullion, season salt, etc that I had into the water to flavor the beans. Use whatever you like!
-Cook your rice according to your taste. Jasmine rice is a sticky rice...that is what makes this so yummy. If you haven't cooked with Jasmine rice (our favorite)...don't expect it to be flaky like some rices.
-I chopped up my avocado and tomato and seasoned them too!

Then, we just got big bowls and piled in lots of yummy rice and beans (remember that if you seasoned the juice of the beans it is super awesome. We drizzle that over the whole thing too! Don't waste that stuff!!). Then we add the plain yogurt (that acts like a sauce...trust me on this...I was skeptical too!) and top with your veggies.

We like to add the tomato and avocado to get some fresh veggies on it and it really brightens it up. This stuff will fill you to the RIM! I can't explain how filling this meal is...so go light at first because you can't imagine how satisfied you will be after a small bowl. This has virtually no fat (except the good fat from avocado) and it is SO cheap.

Now, the key to this meal for us is to take this opportunity to focus on the reality around the world. It is our time to talk about how the rest of the world lives. We use our blessing time as just a time of total thanksgiving and pray for those who don't even have anything this amazing for dinner. It is our focused time to think, pray, and talk about the world.

AND it is preparing your family to live overseas one day. Virtually everywhere around the world has their version of beans and rice. So, as we get used to eating these types of meal...we pray that our family and children won't be shocked when they find these ingredients. They will be comfort food to them by then:)

Let's not forget that this meal offers us a HUGE opportunity to save to GIVE! Let's look at the breakdown:

Money Spent:

Dried Black Beans - $0.57 (One recipe= enough for 4 people 4-5 meals)
Jasmine Rice - $1.00 (1 recipe + leftovers)
Avocado - $1.50 (1 recipe + some leftovers - we bought one more to finish up the leftovers)
Tomato - $.60 (1 recipe + some leftovers)
Plain Organic Yogurt - $.50 (1 recipe - this container was 32 oz size and we only about 1/6 of it at the most)

Total Cost -

$4.17

Four people for 4 days worth of meals! Even if you don't eat it as long we we did...it's still a bargain!

That is a pretty good investment to me...on MANY levels. It's super healthy, super yummy, super cheap, and a wonderful way to engage your family with a more global worldview! Try it...I bet you will LOVE it!

Tonight we are doing black-eyed peas and rice...mmmmm! Can't wait to pass that one along too!

Enjoy...

***Please see new post below***

Free To Give - A few thoughts...

Hi all! I hope that the Lord is inspiring you with your own creative ways to save so that you are free to GIVE! Last night my husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to watch the Southern Baptist Convention Pastor's Conference online while it was going on! Our whole family gathered around the computer to watch the Watoto children's choir sing and share about Jesus...it was just pure joy for us! Those precious sweeties were from Uganda and they travel the whole world singing about Jesus...and their JOY is amazing.

What is even more amazing is that these children are orphans and have seen more struggles and horrific things than you and I can imagine. Some of them were child soldiers in Northern Uganda and had their entire families killed because they were not "good soldiers" due to the fact they were scared to kill someone. These children are many times the ages of my two girls.

To see these precious children dance and sing and quote scripture with amazing JOY was ringing in my heart today as I ready John 15 for my gathering time with the Lord. Listen to this:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Isn't that amazing to know that as the Father loved Jesus...He loves us??? Just like the Father loves His only begotten Son...Jesus loves us? Amazing. As we remain in that love by daily seeking His Word and following everything it says...then His JOY is in us and our JOY may be complete...not lacking anything!

Last night as we explained to our girls what those children had been through and seen in their short lives...we were all reminded that it is Jesus' LOVE and JOY that makes us complete. Even if we lack parents...Jesus' LOVE and JOY can make us complete. Even when we have been abandoned...Jesus' LOVE and JOY make us complete. When we are dealing with a chronic or fatal illness...Jesus' LOVE and JOY makes us complete. When our bellies are hungry and we do not have any clothes to wear...Jesus' LOVE and JOY makes us complete.

And in that LOVE...we are to abide in Him and follow His commands. We don't just keep all that LOVE and JOY to ourselves reveling in the fact we have been made complete. NO! We are commanded to GO!

Acts 1:8 tells us that those of us who have received the Holy Spirit will receive POWER and we WILL BE WITNESSES to Jerusalem, throughout all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. We can't abide in the love of the Father and NOT follow Him to the nations. To the least. To the lost. To the homeless. To the prisoner. To the hungry. To the orphans. To the widows. To the WORLD!

I don't want to be content with a nice life...with a nice family...with a nice church...with a nice ministry to really nice women. Oh Father, strip me and my family of "nice" and propel us towards following Your global heart and your command to love all people and share the GOOD NEWS with each one we meet. May we stop putting a "Christian spin on the American dream" and abide in You. Denying self...taking us a cross...and following you.

In this alone will our JOY be made complete. Just like the Watoto children...who can now say Mamba Sawa...Life is good!!!

For more information on Watoto ministry please visit this site:

Watoto

And then...if you are bold and unafraid...I challenged you to take a look at the Living Hope Project to women. This will open our eyes to the reality of the world. What is going on around us while we are shopping for another $70 purse at Kohls...spending billions on ourselves...and living like our 5% of the world is reality.

It.

Is.

Not.

I will be sharing more ideas that free us up to give later today...my heart is just complete with the JOY of Christ in the midst of ashes. Thank you Jesus for allowing us to be walking examples of...

LIVING HOPE.

Thank you for taking this hard yet joyful journey with me.

How will YOU abide in His love and follow His commands today?

Don't you want to know joy complete?

I do!

Free To Give #2

I am having the hardest time figuring out which ideas to share next...as there are SO many good ones that I want to do them all at one time:) But, I think that I will go back and forth between food tips and shopping tips so that we don't get bogged down in one area! But, there are SO many other amazing money saving tips for cleaners and dish detergent that I can't wait to share too. I have had some people want a copy of all Alysia's ideas through email if you don't want to wait for me to share...I will gladly send those along with Alysia's blessing:)

So...today we are taking on food tips for saving money. This is one of the things that totally has resonated with my spirit about saving to give. It's not just about saving money...it's about living simply, thankfully to the Lord, and with keen awareness of how children and people around the world are living. How we eat here in America is NOT reality for 95% of the world (American takes up less than 5% of the population). Having tons of food, tons of leftovers that are dumped into the garbage, and lots of empty calories...is not how most of the world lives at ALL.

If we are truly going to be a family that is living to be blessing to others both here and around the world...we might just need a reality check. I needed a reality check. We love to eat out, love to eat big family meals, love to have desserts (if this momma would allow them after breakfast...my family would be ALL over it!!). We were not at all in touch with the reality of the world. But, after spending some time with Alysia and her family and having her cook AMAZING food for our family...I am convinced that God knows EXACTLY what He is doing when it comes to providing nourishment for our bodies to be healthy, energized, and filled to satisfaction. Remember how He satisfied the Israelites in the desert? He provides for our every need!

Here are a few thoughts from Alysia and her tips on food:

If you want to really save money when it comes to food there are really only 2 main options:


1. Eat less healthy, not organically, and cheap.


2. Eat like most of the rest of the world and not like an American :)


It sounds extreme, but in all my research it’s pretty much the truth. BUT this does not mean you live legalistically, it does not mean you never go to McDonald’s or Chick Fil A, and it does not mean that you eat a bland diet. It means you adapt to the way people have eaten since God put us here and how most people around the globe eat (and their kids) on a daily basis. It’s eating graciously, thankfully,simply, healthy, and with something in mind besides feeling fat an happy.


1. Learn what a snack should be: nuts, fruit, yogurt, popcorn (not the microwave kind), granola, dried fruit, and veggies. MILLIONS of children survive their lifetime with never having a cracker, goldfish, or juice box grace their lips. Are these things bad? No...but it is a huge pull on the budget for these things to fill every American pantry as a regular staple. Most of them do not supply our children with the real energy and nutrition they need and they produce a mass of waste and cost. If our kids are really hungry enough an apple, banana,handful of peanuts, or some fresh popped corn will be sufficient. For the cost of 1 box of goldfish- void of almost any usable nutrient- you can buy about 2 lbs of organic apples at a local farmers market.

We have begun to embrace this in our home for the past few weeks. We have finished up all the boxed stuff in our house and have begun to have simple yet nutritional and YUMMY snacks in our house to eat. They are tons more filling and CHEAP! Example One:

We all love to eat popcorn and it's an easy and snack that children around the world enjoy...it's simple and filling and not high in sugar, fat, or calories. But, buying the microwave kind can cost about $3.00 per box for 3-4 bags of popcorn. But, in making our own, not only have we had TONS of fun (I never knew how AMAZING homemade popcorn can be...and how FUN for the kids!) we can save money to give!

When I go to my local store, I found a LARGE bottle of popcorn kernels for about $3.50...of the name brand stuff (they didn't have generic and next time I will head to Whole Foods and get it in bulk and organic.)
This one bottle contains enough popcorn for 32 servings!! AND they count ONE serving as 6.5 cups of popcorn! That is more than our family can eat collectively for a snack...so we consume less than one serving at a time since we only eat about a cup each. So our whole family is eating less than one serving per day.

The store bought popcorn would be about $3 for 4-6 bags and that is one serving for each bag...that is CRAZY when you can get 31 servings out of a bottle that will last us several months...even eating it as a snack just about each day.

Price Breakdown:

Orville Redenbacher Microwave Popcorn: $2.99 - 4 bags - 1 serving per bag

Orville Redenbacher Popcorn Kernels $3.50 - 32 servings @ 6.5 cups per serving!

Time spent:

Microwave - 3-5 minutes per bag

Homemade - 5 minutes per batch ( I make 3 different flavored batches at a time so it takes me 15-20 min.and it lasts us a week)

Savings to GIVE:

Homemade kernels - $3.50 for 3 months (3 batches per week for 12 weeks)
$1.15 per month!!!

Microwave - $18 to $20 for 3 months (3 batches per week for 12 weeks)
$6.00 - $6.60 per month!!

Total - $5.00 per month!! (approximate)

Total for Compassion Child?
Laundry Detergent savings: $8.50
Popcorn snack savings: $5.00
Total so far: $13.50!

So, look at your pantry and see how you can transition to more healthy, homemade snacks to feed your kids and family...while saving to GIVE! And making homemade popcorn is SUPER fun for the kids and takes me a total of 15-20 minutes to make 3 large batches (since we do regular, cheese, and even bought an Amish ranch seasoning at the farmer's market this week YUM!). This will last us about a week...so less than 20 minutes for a healthy snack for the whole week? I can do that:)

A few other tips for your popcorn...

*We use the regular stove top recipe with Smart Balance oils that are healthier. But, since we now know we love this snack...we are saving for an air popper that will pop every single kernel, never burn it, and cut down on the fat from the oil I pop the kernels in. But, we wanted to make sure this was going to be a staple snack first before we spent money on another appliance. The oil we use is a blend of very healthy oils that are low in cholesterol and fat...but the air popper would be great too! So...just follow the instructions on your bottle of kernels and it will tell you exactly how to cook it on the stove or air popper!

*Alysia told us to use Extra Virgin Olive oil instead of butter. I admit I was SUPER skeptical! But, she made it and we ate it on a picnic at Stone Mountain together and YUMMY! So now that is ALL we use!! It is SO much better for you and acts just like butter to keep the salt and flavors in place on the popcorn...and takes DIVINE! I just drizzle it on the top and then put my salt or flavorings in it...and no one even knows the difference...even the girls' friends have eaten tons of it and never knew there wasn't any butter on it:) Just try it before you judge it;) I'm sure glad I did!

*I got 3 containers at my local megamart for $1.68 for two and store my different flavors in each with a pretty label on them with a 1 cup scoop on top. It helps the kids to know what they are grabbing to snack on...and keeps the serving sizes to a normal amount instead of mindlessly snacking. We did large ziptop bags too with the name on the front...but it was taking over our pantry...and looked pretty bad too:)

More food tips tomorrow!!

                                                   

Free to Give: Idea #1

OK, girls I am so excited to be sharing my sweet sister Alysia's wonderful ideas on living simply...so others can simply live! Maybe she might like to make the title of her book...hmmm...I'll have to pass that along;) We have been having a BLAST trying out all of her fun ideas and we have been super surprised at how much we are loving just about all of them!

OK, for our family, some of our biggest budget suckers are those once a month Wal-mart things like laundry detergent (about $5-6 per bottle for even the cheap stuff to last us a month), fabric softener, paper plates, little paper bathroom cups, paper towels, dish detergent, etc. So, that is where I started. If I can get those down in a way that really works for our family...then that is some serious money towards missions.

Just for fun...maybe we will keep a tally on this blog on how much we might save and see if we could, at the very least sponsor, a Compassion child for example. That would be super cool...and you see that big icon above? Well, just click on it to learn more about Compassion and their work with children around the world who are in poverty! Because many say they just don't have the extra money...let's play this little game and set a goal to see how we could save to give!

So, today I want to share her recipe for making your own laundry detergent. Now, don't freak out on me! Remember that I have tried all of these and they take MINUTES to do...seriously! The thing that will take you the most time is to buy the ingredients, which took me a few stores to find all that I needed. But, once you have them, they last for SO long!

For us detergent is at least a $10 a month investment, because it almost takes 1-2 bottles of the cheap stuff to get us through a month and a bottle of fabric softener. I do one load of laundry a day to keep me from having it pile up and for me to get really behind. Since I don't like doing laundry...this helps me to keep my time doing it spaced out a little at a time. I have a schedule and I just follow it each week...and we only do sheets on Saturday and NONE on Sundays!!

So, if we can knock down the cost of laundry detergent...then we have almost a THIRD of our way to a Compassion child each month. Here's the recipe:
(what is in parenthesis are notes I added from my experience)

NOTE: If you have HE washers this may not work...I don't have one so I don't know:)

Laundry Detergent
6 Cups Borax (you can find this at Wal-Mart or most grocery stores in laundry aisle)
4 Cups baking soda (in the laundry section they have a HUGE box for $1...not the little one in the baking section)
4 Cups washing soda (I found Arm and Hammer brand.I found it at Kroger...you might have to search a few stores to find it. I could not find it at my Wal-mart. It is in the laundry or cleaning section.)
4 Cups grated bar soap (Ivory or Zote...just use your cheese grater- this is a
great task for kids!)

Use 2 Tbs per load- yup! That’s all you need!

OK...this stuff ROCKS! We have used it for 2 weeks now for everything from towels to delicates to nice clothing and it has worked for them all! I just put it into a bucket with a top on it along with a TBS scooper and have loved it! This whole recipe took us about 15 minutes total and that includes Virginia grating the soap.

At first we only made a fourth of the recipe to see how it would go;) And just today we made the entire full recipe so that I could stock up and give a price breakdown...cause we are not only using more healthy laundry detergent by using natural products...we are trying to save to GIVE!

Price breakdown:

Each recipe will do 80 loads (yes Virginia and I counted based on 2 TBS per load) of laundry...for me (doing 5-6 loads a week) that is almost 4 months of detergent. So here's how that breaks down for me:

Borax - $2.99 per box - you should get at least 2 of these recipes (8 months of laundry for me) out of one box if not more...depending on how much laundry you do each week, of course;)

Baking Soda - $1 per box - I can get 1 of these recipes out of the large box (80 loads of laundry)

Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - $3.99 - I use this for both my laundry and my dish detergent. So, I think I would get 2 recipes (8 months of laundry) out of this if I don't include my dishes (that recipe will come later!).

Ivory soap - $2.00 - I get a three pack of Ivory soap at the Dollar tree. So, I use the other two as our body soaps for the girls and I.

So...since I am NOT a math person this could get really scary really fast! Feel free to check me on this:)

For ONE recipe (80 loads = almost 4 months for me)...

I spent $6.00.

Since most of the items will allow for 2 recipes I had to half them and then take out 2 bars of soap for our personal use...so this is just an approximate:)

*Because this detergent softens the water I have not needed a fabric softener!! I didn't believe Alysia when she told me that...but it's TRUE! So that is saving me at least $3.00 each month on that!*

So...I normally spent close to $10 each month on laundry detergent and fabric softener. With this new recipe I spent about:

$1.50

15 minutes to make 4 months of detergent

That is a savings of...

$8.50 each month!

Take that for the year and I am saving over $100 just on my laundry alone...and that is just the START of these great tips!!!

So, why not try it your self? If we are saving to give...then we are almost a third of the way to our Compassion child for example! See how small changes that take less than 15 minutes for FOUR MONTHS can make a life difference for a child, an orphan, a widow, the lost, the least?

Isn't this FUN? Our amazing God blesses us...to be a blessing! SO much more to come...

Free to Give

Over the next several days I wanted to share some wonderful tips about saving money. It seems that many women I talk to are eagerly looking for good deals and ways to save money. But why? Why do we want to save money? Why do you want to save money?

Is it to simply pay your bills due to a job loss? Is it save for an upcoming vacation? Is it to get your "emergency fund"? Is it to save more on the things that aren't any fun...to spend more on those things that are really fun? Is it to be more "green" and more aware of your environmental "footprint"? Why do you want to save money?

I asked a friend of mine named Alysia to share her thoughts on saving money. I have dabbled in some of her ideas...even before I knew her. I wanted to be more organic, have less chemicals in my home, etc. But, for some reason, though I was extremely excited about these wonderful ideas...they didn't really IGNITE my passion enough to really get behind them. The Spirit was priming my pump...but it wasn't until spending some time with my sweet sister Alysia that the Spirit began to work and encouraged me to save in order to be free to GIVE! Oh yeah!

The few dollars we are able to save on spending just a few minutes (and I really do mean a few minutes) each month to make a few items that cost the most on our grocery and Wal-Mart list...add up to more and more abilities to be a blessing to someone across the street or across the world. THAT is something worth getting IGNITED about:) And that is exactly what has happened. The Spirit has inspired my friend Alysia who has given feet to much of my desire and that has left me SO encouraged and challenged and convicted! It has challenged me to be more Spirit led in the way I view my purchases and the things I THINK I need;)

One of the most wonderful things that she has said to me...is that their family desires to live and eat like the rest of the 90% of the world. They eat snacks like popcorn and granola and fruit like children around the world might eat (if they eat at all!). They seek to position themselves ready to be called to overseas mission life at any time and ready their children for the same. They are living simply...so that others can simply live. Oh, what a glorious life!

So, for the past few weeks and months I have been secretly testing out all her ideas (she gave a talk to a women's group where she compiled what the Lord has given to her and shared them in 14 pages!! It's awesome!!). I wanted to see how long these ideas would take, how much they really cost, how they worked, and to see which ones would work for our family.

Oh, boy they are GREAT! It's been so fun to involve the whole family in whipping up great snacks, cooking simply meals, sitting down to eat a simply meal that might be eaten by children who are hungry and truly have it fill our tummies and be yummy and be SO thankful! Jay and I have had so much fun trying things out after the girls are asleep...and then involving them when we figure out what we did wrong:) Summer is a GREAT time to try some of these fun ideas as projects with your kids...and then if you like them...then when school starts and life gets busier and more demanding you are ready to go!

That is what I am taking this summer to do...pray, seek the Lord, follow the Spirit, read the Word and see how God will make our lives full of RADICAL love and radical changes that are more in line with Him. Then when fall hits and homeschool starts and I am traveling to speak twice a month...I already have habits in place and they are refined to go quickly and more smoothly.

And now after a few weeks in the test kitchen...I'm SUPER excited to share her ideas with you and give my hearty AMEN to them. The changes and savings may seem small, but every single dollar, if moved to be given by the Holy Spirit out of passionate LOVE for God and others will be SO blessed! You can't imagine how awesome stripping away some of trappings of this world will be for your Spirit...we weren't made to live in bondage to stuff and convenience and more stuff and more convenience. We were made to deny ourselves, take up a cross, and follow HIM!

I pray that these ideas will simply take to prayer. Seek the Spirit and the wisdom He brings to your life. Don't do ANY of these out of guilt or compulsion. Read what 1Corinthians 13: 1-3 tells us:

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing. "

That's right...NOTHING. Oh Jesus, I do not want to get to the end of this life and stand before you with just a lot of causes, good deeds, and volunteer hours! May every single breath that I breathe be to your glory and for you fame both here and among the nations. Lord give me a passionate love for you and others that OVERFLOWS out onto others. Taking up a cause is about us trying to "save the world", solve world hunger, and fight the battles like a white knight coming in to save the day. Only Jesus saves! It is only by abiding in HIM alone can we do anything...for without HIM we can do NOTHING.

I pray that these next posts will be an encouragement to get deep into the Word and deep into pray and see if there are any ways the Lord would have you and your family to be free to GIVE...and truly LIVE!

Let not your heart be troubled...

*NOTE: The bottom portion of this blog is of a sensitive nature...if you are reading with your children please read the entire blog first*

On Monday, we dropped off our oldest at a missions camp for the WEEK! I can hardly believe it...but it's true. She knew from attending a mini-camp last year that a week would be even better! She loved it...and we loved it!

You gotta love when you walk into the cabin (OK...these cabins are NOT like when I went to camp! They are beautiful, air-conditioned, and have a huge attached bathroom with lots of showers, bathrooms, and sinks. They are awesome!) and they had the countries of North Africa and the Middle East on them to learn about and pray over. The entire focus of this camp is missions...training and encouraging and living out missions with young girls...to us...it just doesn't get any better than that!!! Not to mention...I know the director of the camp:)

Even with all of those wonderful things, I have to say there have been nights leading up to driving her up there that I was struck with fear. What if she doesn't apply her sunscreen right and she gets burned? What if she doesn't put on bug spray and she gets eaten alive? What if she doesn't find a special sweet friend? What if she gets homesick? What if...

If you are a mom...you get the idea:) So, one night a few days before she left I was dealing with my insomnia and my mind was reeling with what ifs. I grabbed my sweet sleeping husband's hand and informed him that we were praying OUT LOUD for our girl. I just had to speak my prayers for her out loud and hear myself giving it all over to the Lord.

Peace that passes all understanding overcame me. It was with me as I drove her 2 hours to camp. As I stood in line with TONS of other girls and moms to check her in. As we unpacked and got her settled in. As we hugged goodbye...and all the way home! What a great God we serve!

But, she is NEVER out of my thoughts. I have had to constantly reject the what ifs. I have to constantly give her over to her Father and know that whatever happens He loves her more than I could ever imagine. Then, this morning I read in John 14:26-27:

"But, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. PEACE I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Let the SPIRIT remind you and I day and night of His many promises and His love for us. And the peace that He gives to us in our circumstances and in our situations...is not like the world gives. Praise God! It lasts and lasts and lasts!

After I read this passage and again gave my sweet girl over the Lord and let the Spirit remind me of a few things...I read this from a blog friend:


Yemeni child bride, 12, dies in labour

A 12-year-old Yemeni child-bride died after struggling for three days in labour to give birth, a local human rights organization said. Fawziya Abdullah Youssef died of severe bleeding on Friday, 11.Sept.2009 while giving birth to a stillborn in the al-Zahra district hospital of Hodeida province, 140 miles west of the capital San’a.

Child marriages are widespread in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country, where tribal customs dominate society. More than a quarter of the country’s females marry before age 15, according to a recent report by the Social Affairs Ministry.
Youssef was only 11 when her father married her to a 24-year-old man who works as a farmer in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Quraishi, whose group promotes child rights in Yemen, said that he stumbled upon Youssef in the hospital while investigating cases of children who had fled from the fighting in the north.
“This is one of many cases that exist in Yemen,” said al-Quraishi. “The reason behind it is the lack of education and awareness, forcing many girls into marriage in this very early age.”
Impoverished parents in Yemen sometimes give away their young daughters in return for hefty dowries. There is also a long-standing tribal custom in which infant daughters and sons are promised to cousins in hopes it will protect them from illicit relationships, he said.
Al-Quraishi said there are no statistics to show how many marriages involving children are performed every year.

The issue of child brides vaulted into the headlines here two years ago when an 8-year-old Yemeni girl, Nujood Ali went by herself to a courtroom and demanded a judge dissolve her marriage to a man in his 30s. She eventually won a divorce, and legislators began looking at ways to curb the practice.

In February, parliament passed a law setting the minimum marriage age at 17. But some lawmakers are trying to kill the measure, calling it un-Islamic. Before it could be ratified by Yemen’s president, they forced it to be sent back to parliament’s constitutional committee for review.

Such marriages also occur in neighbouring oil-rich Saudi Arabia, where several cases of child brides have been reported in the past year, though the phenomenon is not believed to be nearly as widespread as in Yemen. Throughout the developing world, millions of girls are married off to virtual strangers while they are still just children.

Some are as young as six or seven years old when they are married. The girls themselves rarely have any say in the matter. Many do not even know or fully understand what is planned for them until they arrive at their husband’s home.

In families with limited resources, child marriage is often considered a way to provide for a daughter’s future. Poor families have few resources to support more healthy alternatives for girls, while economic gains through marrying off a daughter may also motivate poor parents to choose this path.

Worldwide, 100 million girls will be married before the age of 18 in the next decade alone. In countries like Niger and Bangladesh, grinding poverty and adherence to tradition results in more than three out of every four girls being married off before they turn 18 (ICRW).

By Associated Press Writer Ahmed Al-Haj

My daughter is enjoying a week at a wonderful missions camp surrounded by those that love God and love discipling young girls. She is taking activities like swimming and water sports. She is singing praises to the Lord and meeting new friends. She is being missed by her family at home and being bathed in constant prayer.

This article gave me some perspective on my worries about my daughter at missions camp. It drove away fear and gave way to utter thankfulness to God. The Spirit pricked my heart to pray for these beautiful and precious little girls who are going through such travesty. It made me so very grateful that my little girl is at missions camp this week.

The Spirit reminded me of His AMAZING protection and AMAZING provision in our lives and in the lives of my sweet girls. May my life be more and more soaked in the peace and the lessons of my Wonderful Counselor who loves me enough to teach me, change me, speak truth to me, and to protect my heart from being troubled and being afraid.

Thank you Father for the peace you give those who are your own. Father, please send Your Comforter to these precious girls in Yemen and other parts of the world who are going through such difficulties. Draw them to Yourself and be their true Beloved. Woo their young hearts to love you and receive true love that never fades. Love that offers peace...not like the world...but of a Father who cares for His children. Oh, Lord comfort these precious babies who are having babies. My heart is breaking in two right now as I look at their faces. May their little hearts not be troubled...