Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Reflections on the past amazing week & weekend....


This past weekend, my family and a host of willing volunteers put on the Annual Father/Son Camp.www.fathersoncamp.org  What a blessing to be a teeny part of such an amazing event.  There were between 500-600 fathers and sons who came to make memories, start friendships, enjoy fellowship, worship together, and listen to great ministry.  Wow!! Seriously, it's a little taste of heaven when 600 people are singing praises and worship to God...it makes me long for heaven!  I'm SO thankful to be able to give my sons and daughter a glimpse of eternity here on old planet earth!    I'm amazed every year when believers around the USA travel to little old OakTown to serve at Father/Son Camp. 
 
I was so disappointed that there was such VERY little participation from the local communities.  Where are the pastors, elders, and local fathers and sons??  I cannot figure out why!  All I can say, is "Wow, those individuals missed out!"  I am sad for all the "church people" who didn't buy up the opportunity.  I hope & pray they make it a priority next year!  They will truly receive a blessing!   
 
The ministry this weekend was excellent.  It wasn't "how-to-be-a-better-Christian" type preaching.  It was powerful live-out-the-power-of-The-Gospel--a call to WORSHIP, every day in every thing!  It was Christianity 101...but sadly, most of us don't hear teaching like this and live more like the world, than like Jesus.  It wasn't about standards, have more devotional time, etc...it was about WORSHIP!!!!  The preaching exhorted us believers to repent by turning TO JESUS!  Believe!  It's about FAITH!!  BELIEVING GOD, AT HIS WORD!  It was such good stuff, folks!  I'm not a super-passionate person, necessarily, but the few sessions that I got to sneak in on rejoiced my soul and definitely had the power to revolutionize people's lives...mine included!  I will try to post a few snippets here and there of the points that stood out to me... 
 
My main "take-away" from the ministry that I heard over this past weekend:

 Instead of **reacting** to the storms/mini-crisis of life, USE the power of The Gospel to respond in WORSHIP to every blessing, "storm", relational issue, & circumstance that comes my way.
What a revolutionary way to live every day! This *should* be the "norm" for all believers in Jesus Christ...but often, I/we react just the way the rest of the world reacts to trials/hardship/illness/"storms": anger, distress, anxiety, hopelessness..

...Purposing to live on the "Victory Side" as my dad would say. 

-A "Thank You, Jesus" outlook & attitude in ALL things...

 -Guess What?? If I go to HIM in worship & praise, *every* time I don't get my way, the kids do NOT do what I want, I feel sick AGAIN, another household problem/health problem$$$$, homeschool day was particularly crazy..etc...I'll be worshipping Jesus all day long!

 -Learning to live out The Gospel will have a powerful impact in our marriages, homes, children, communities, country & world.

 Happy Tuesday! Worship HIM!!  DRAW NEAR & HOLD FAST!!
 
Job 1--check out Job's response to trials!
The Book of Hebrews
 

Saturday, October 19, 2013

October Randomness...




 (My sister made the girls matching nightgowns out of old sheets.  Can you say Fraulein Maria??)
 I have knights living in my home right now...


Even the littlest of helpers can be big help!


 Silliness...
 Fishing off of the coffee table...

 Cool Cowboy...
 And the littlest Goff boy, who is getting big very quickly!!  I can't believe he's going to be 3, before too long!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

October!

I had to cancel our family pictures a few weeks ago due to all of us having colds.  My sister snapped some pictures for us after church on Sunday.  I think we got some cute ones.  Definitely there will be one or two that will suffice for a Christmas card.  Yay.  It's conquered.  :)  Here's one to whet your curiosity. :)

Sunday, September 22, 2013

My Crazy Recipes!

I've had a request for some of my homemade recipes, so here we go!  Everything is SO expensive...if I can make it cheaper, and it works well, then that gives me more $$ to spend elsewhere.

Dishwasher Soap:
1 c. borax
1 c. washing soda
1/2 c. citric acid
1/2 c. kosher salt
*Use 1 Tbsp/ load
[The verdict is still out on this one...I've tried homemade dishwasher soap before and it didn't work.  This is a little different.  So I'll try it for another week or two, and see how it cleans.  I like my dishes to be sparkling!]

Deoderant:
Here's 1 recipe:
1/4 c. baking soda
1/4 c. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
5 T. coconut oil
--essential oils--optional (I use lavender or tea tree oil)

Here's another:
3 T. shea butter
3 T. baking soda
2 T. cornstarch
2 T cocoa butter
2 vitamin E caps opened and squeezed in
Essential oils

Really, I like both.  The 2nd one is a new recipe and I really liked the consistency. The ingredients I just happened to have on hand...they are rather unusual.  (I ordered them through Mountain Rose Herbs a few years ago, when trying to make lotion to help William's eczema)  The mixtures can be put into an old deodorant container or a small jar.  The only issue w/ the 1st recipe, is that if the air temperature is above 70 degrees, it'll liquefy your deodorant--may have to stick it in the fridge.

Toothpaste:
Now!  I've tried several recipes, some good, some not-so-much :) 
I'll post my 2 favorites:

Toothpaste 1:
2-3 T coconut oil
3 T. baking soda
1 1/2 t. salt
10-15 drops peppermint essential oil

Toothpaste 2:
Mix 4 parts baking soda with 1 part salt.  Add a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen oil.  This is a tooth powder.  The brushing powder will leave your mouth fresh and clean.  No worries about fluoride or strange chemicals or about your toddler eating it.  To make it into a toothpaste, take 1/2 cup of the tooth powder, and add 3 tsp. food grade glycerin and some more essential oil.  Spoon it into individual squeeze bottles (find them at Walmart in the health and beauty: travel section) 

I suppose, some of the ingredients are kind of expensive...but I do keep coconut oil, glycerin, essential oils on hand.  Beachy's or The Family Healthfood Store in Arthur carries all of the ingredients, as well as online stores.  

There you go!