Christian Homekeeping

I thought this was a great video to share with you all, in case you are going to possibly be without work due to the coronavirus closures and need frugal meal ideas.  This lady fed her family of 6 for a week on $30 and she shows you exactly what to buy and each and every meal of the week how to make it!  I've also included a link to another video with the same idea.



126 Meals for $50 - https://youtu.be/j75tMn8B3t0

I absolutely loved Dave Ramsey's response in this call about mothers staying home with their kids!  He talks about how his wife hasn't made a dime in her life - she's been a (full-time) mother for 33 years and a grandmother.  Being a mother is the most valuable job you could ever have!!  Go Dave!

I've noticed that at the doctor's office and many other places that I've been to recently, seems like everyone is on their phone, usually a smartphone.  I'm longing to talk to others and meet new people but everyone else is shutting the world out.  The thing is, they are probably on "social" media but at the same time, they are so disconnected from REAL face-to-face conversation and the chance to meet someone new.  It really disgusts me, maybe because I'm not into the whole smartphone thing - I got rid of mine before it got too smart.

What I really enjoy is meeting people at the grocery store or shopping when they aren't on their phones.  Some think I'm weird for talking to them, others are refreshed that someone wants to talk to them.

The saddest part of all this is that so many are letting their friends just slip away.  I've had friends just let me go because I wasn't on Facebook and that is where they have chosen to have their "life."  Since I'm not on there, I'm not in their "life" anymore.  Sad.  God help us.  It is all part of Satan's plan to prevent us from having real, loving relationships and to promote the superficial ones and the fake person we share online in social media - the one we want others to think we are.  The one that makes us feel good about ourselves, boosts our ego and self esteem - the one that is destroying us because it is making us full of SELF.  Taking SELFies and posting pictures of our SELF all. the. time.  Self-glorification is now the norm.

Get off your stupid phones and get a real life!!!!!  Ok, there, I said it.  Don't let life pass you by and friends pass you by, forget your SELF and think about others - don't let Satan distract you all the way to hell.  

........Controls the World.  You can't go wrong training your children up in the ways of the Lord for the majority of their day!!

Here are some wonderful quotes from the video:

Non-Christian education puts the child in a vacuum. The result is that child dies. Christian education alone really nurtures personality, because it alone gives the child air and food. Modern educational philosophy gruesomely insults our God and our Christ. How, then, do you expect to build anything positively Christian or theistic upon a foundation which is the negation of Christianity and Theism? No teaching of any sort is possible except in Christian schools. ~ Cornelius Van Til

Is the Bible true? My science, health, and literature teachers said no. Is God providential in the affairs of men and nations? My history, social studies, and economics teachers said no. Is there design and purpose evident in creation? My biology, chemistry, and math teachers said no. Are there absolutes? My sex-education teacher said no and my friends said “cool.” Is God relevant to any subject taught in the public school? All of my teachers and all of my books said no. Consequently, every day for twelve years the content and context of my public schooling said there is no God, and even if there is, He does not matter. ~ Bradley Heath

Here is a screenshot from the video showing typical hours of a public school child:


When do you teach your child about God with those hours above?  All that time away from you and your influence as a parent and rather spent in an atheistic, humanistic and ungodly school system.  God gets 20 minutes or sometimes not even that.  Is God important?  Does He care that Christian children are being taught atheistic education?  God-less history?  False teaching in a creation-less science?  

Has anyone watched this documentary?  I saw the trailer and read this article and it makes sense.  Here are some quotes from the article:

Facebook is not only is a den of gossip, full of vanity, promoting a superficial image of yourself, creating superficial friendships and is cited as the reason for divorce in 1 in 5 divorces, but now its being used for its original intended purpose - valuing others based upon looks.  This could cause depression, low self-esteem and eventually suicide.  Think of how many lives have been destroyed, don't forget marriages, by this tool.  How sad that parents would even let their children use such a thing.  God help us!




I like how this 21-year old got rid of his Facebook and wrote about it, he is more mature than most adults!

Facebook, we need to have a DTR (defining the relationship) talk…It’s not all your fault, it’s mostly mine…This is the end of you and me, Facebook. I’m leaving you because I have spent more time browsing your pages than I have been spending in the pages of The Good Book. And I can’t live like that anymore. I’ve let you become a monster…you’ve taken too much of my time and my thoughts. Maybe it’s just my lack of self-control or discipline, but you’re addictive to me. I’m ashamed of the number of times I check you daily. If I were able to grasp how much time I have spent swimming though your endless ocean of profiles, I would be able to bear the guilt.

Here’s why: because of your profiles, I’ve become lazy. Because of you I found myself talking with person after person, asking them questions that I already knew the answers to. On many levels I’ve substituted and even avoided personal interactions with people because of your artificial and superficial means of communication. You have diluted my perception of true social interaction.

You’ve made me a coward. There’s a difference between a Facebook friend and an actual friend. Everyone knows the difference, but when one tries to reach across the barrier from Facebook friends to actual friends it just isn’t the same.

Facebook, you’re not all bad. You have your benefits. I must admit, you allow me to network and keep in touch with people with whom I normally wouldn’t have been able to…but at what cost? Wasting time Facebooking people I’ll never meet has distracted me from meeting the person sitting next to me in class, or has kept me from calling up and hanging out with an old friend because Facebooking is just as good? I beg to differ.

In some form or another, you’ve hindered my investment in the relationships with those genuine people hiding behind the idealistic profiles they’ve made of themselves. Let’s face it, I don’t perceive myself in the same way someone else perceives me. From now on, I only want to know people for whom they truly are; not for what you (Facebook) says they are. I just can’t trust you.

‘This might seem radical, but I have to make up for lost time. This hurts me just as much as it hurts you, but I have to take a stand.

Logging out for good,

Kyle

Related: Who in the World Isn't on Facebook?
The Hyper-Socialized Generation
Technology Shapes Our Personality? Tech Addicts?

I was suffering with incredible back pain for about 10 weeks and couldn't even load the dishwasher without pain.  My doctor had reached the point of basically saying, I could get shots every month or surgery, or live off of ibuprofen.  I came home so depressed and desperate and called out to God for healing or to direct me in some way of why these things always happen to me.  It was then that I came across a 20/20 video done on Dr. Sarno.

After watching that video, I got Sarno's book "Healing Back Pain" within hours.  Within 30 minutes of reading the book, I was in tears because it was explaining my entire life since childhood.  My brain was trying to "do me a favor" and direct my emotional pain from past abuse to different parts of my body - which medical records, hospitalizations from the past 23 years prove.  I missed a lot of school growing up and even had rare illness' in my early 20's and went from doctor to doctor.

As I was reading his book, I realized what was happening in my body.  I couldn't deal with the emotional pain of abuse and thus, my brain did only what it could to help me - put the pain somewhere else in my body.

Only after 3 hours of reading the book, my back pain completely disappeared!  I told my brain to stop it and then told it that it had to deal with things and stop using my body as the means to divert me from the pain of my past.  It cooperated and for the past 11 weeks I've been illness free!!!  I don't remember a time in my life that I have gone so long being free of sickness or some injury, etc.

God is helping me and I'm finally dealing with these things........its been quite a hard road but without Jesus, I'm not sure where I would have been!!  I had no idea that I never dealt with things, I just subconsciously pushed them back in my brain and never DEALT with emotions.  It has been very hard to deal with things in my mind now, but its keeping my body pain and illness free!  I know so many people who have been abused or went through things and they are suffering with pain that pills and even surgery won't help - and only if they would realize what their brain is doing, they could have deliverance.

I'm writing a letter to Dr. Sarno to tell him what his book did for me and my life story as well but I wanted to let you all know what a life change I have went through the past 11 weeks and even close friends have told me that I'm like a different person.  Thank you God for this man and the wisdom you gave him and remember the Bible itself tells us:

Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he

I've been reprogramming my brain and learned behaviors (extreme perfectionism, low self-esteem, etc.) that developed from past abuse and its been hard work but my life has been changing and I feel like a new person. Just wanted to share and I know I don't get this personal a lot but I was ready to come forth to tell you all what a major life change I have experienced the past 11 weeks!!

CNN asks "Who in the World Isn't on Facebook?" and I reply, "My family and I and close friends".  The article I came across today was disheartening to me.  Not only because, I've watched others lose their morals on Facebook but also because 3 people we know left their spouse after entering the Facebook world.  Those things have only warned me of the dangers involved.

Am I really that odd?  Am I so socially unacceptable to the majority that I'm some kind of kook for not being on Facebook?  Am I peculiar maybe?  Is that what I have to join to be accepted and liked by others?  Why are those without divided from those within?  Does it promote cliquish behavior?  Does it cause division?  Is it of the right spirit?  Is it expedient?  Can anyone ever set rules on what you shouldn't do on facebook?

I came across and excellent on article on "Should Christians be on Facebook" by R.C. Sproul Jr.  He makes some very valid points and challenges your thinking.  According to the Bible, Paul states that all things are lawful for we as Christians, but not all things are expedient.  Simply put - it isn't sin but it could be a weight, idol or lead to sin.  Same with all other things of course but what other area do you put out your first and last name, location, job, who your friends and family are, where you grew up, went to school and so forth?  I was able to show my sister that I could easily steal her identity knowing nothing about her but just what was on her facebook profile.  She was scared to say the least lol.  Imagine how easy for pedophiles it has become to track your children.

I know everyone gets their toes stepped on when you mention ANYTHING negative about the F-word and believe me - I've gotten an earful of it from saying anything against it lol.  I've had people ask me "Are you on Facebook" and when I reply "No", they stop and look at me and then I get this LONG essay on why they are on there and all the great things about like its some sort of god.  I wonder sometimes why it has to be defended so greatly?  I wonder why it causes such a stir?  Why are others so sensitive about it when people, a few years ago, were afraid to even use their first and last name online.  The way some talk about it, even the media, you would think people actually bow down to it and worship it daily.

Here are some great quotes from the above article:

"How, I wonder, can a person take a technology that exists to say to the watching world, “Here I am. Come see about me” complain that the world is coming to see about them? Anyone who wishes more privacy can find such easily enough."

"Is the rush of nostalgia from finding long lost friends encouraging you to be dissatisfied? Are you secretly looking for that old girlfriend? Are you already caught up in adultery simply by wishing you could be sixteen again?"

"is Facebook encouraging contentment or resentment? Are you coveting your neighbor’s friend count? Are you jealous of how many “likes” there are for his posts compared to yours? And are you content with the real life you are shutting out while hunched over your keyboard?"

I have no doubt that if I ever got a Facebook, satan would make sure all the men from my past found me.  It would be a door left wide open for temptation to enter in.  Sadly, we already have witnessed that in a few people.  I don't want to be found necessarily because the girl back then DIED and I became a new creature in Christ.  Hubby feels the same way and quite frankly, I don't want my husband to have other women on his page to chat with.  Overfamiliarity breeds more than just contempt.

However, don't take this post the wrong way - but, alas, some will always find wrong in me no matter what I say or do.  Sadly, I'm in the minority with this viewpoint and I know its not accepted but I will not cower to the social norm.  I can only hope that more marriages aren't destroyed by this social device.

Divorce lawyers reveal that one in five divorces now cite Facebook as the reason and one 35-year-old woman even discovered her husband was divorcing her via Facebook:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6857918/Facebook-fuelling-divorce-research-claims.html

I watched a news story video online and the news anchor mentions Facebook is like piping infidelity into your home.  He said he even knows personally of 3 marriages that ended because of Facebook.

I will end this post with a video of a conservative Baptist minister sharing a story of some Godly young men reaching others for Christ and also a bit of admonition dealing with being a man of God:

We have yet to start talking about facial care, someone had commented last year that they thought I was 19 or around there because of my skin lol.  Believe me it was the best compliment I have ever gotten! ; )  I'm not 19, but 29 and my skin is not the greatest.  I do believe you can do things to:

1. Protect your skin from damage (wear sunscreen all the time!)
2. Slow down skin damage you already caused

My skin regime has changed over the years, so I will start from the beginning.  I used to use Irish Spring to wash my face when I was a teenager and didn't know anything about face care.  Then my oldest Sister got us started on Clinique's 3-step system but it actually only gave me skin problems that I had never had before.  Then she started selling Mary Kay and we used those cleansers.  I did wear makeup back then and you needed a heavy duty cleanser to get all that junk off lol.

One thing I regret that I did from a child on up was sit out in the sun and go to our grandma's pool several days a week with NO SUNSCREEN!  I got so many sunburns growing up it was just normal for me.  I was never told I needed to protect my skin and what all that sun exposure and sunburns would do later on to my skin.  So I got my first wrinkle pretty early, not to mention freckles (but my husband loves my freckles and that is part of what attracted him to me, so I learned to love them when he showed me they are cute! lol)

When I stopped wearing makeup, I simply used Dove soap to wash my face and don't remember using any moisturizer.  I then had problems with my skin and seems like it became sensitive, so I started using Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer for years.  Then I switched to Neutregena acne soap with Aveeno moisturizer because I had breakouts and then dry skin from the acne soap.

Something I have done for years is exfoliate with baking soda.  I keep a container of it in my shower and a couple times a month, I put some in my hand and mix a bit of water and then gently scrub it on my face and lips and hands and elbows and rinse.  It makes my skin smooth and is a cheap exfoliater and one I recommend!

A few months ago, after being frustrated by acne all the time and dull looking skin, I stepped out and tried something new.  I bought Olay's foaming face wash for sensitive skin and started to use it.  I noticed that my face was not as dry as normal and then I followed it up with my Aveeno moisturizer.  It cleaned my face gently but my moisturizer didn't seem to be doing the job anymore.

I tried Olay's Anti-wrinkle daily SPF moisturizer and at first it made my skin peel/flake but after 2 weeks it was fine and I have used it now for a few months and WOW what a difference it has made in my skin!  I figured it was so good, the night cream must be good also.  I tried it out and the first morning after using it the night before, I was impressed when I looked in the mirror and saw my skin was plump and my forehead wrinkles almost invisible.  I'm going to continue to use it a few nights a week.

I noticed that my acne had lessened dramatically since using the Olay anti-wrinkle moisturizer and I didn't know why but found out that the hydroxy acids in it actually help acne as well!  I finally found something that has really lessened my breakouts to just a few a month and also makes my skin look better.  I want to venture out and try some of the other Olay lines but for now I'm happy with this one. 

Don't be fooled into thinking you need an eye cream - I have always simply used my face moisturizer around my eye area.  Paula Begoun is a woman I trust who researches products (face and hair) and lets us know what ingredients are in them and what is good and what is bad.  She also has some videos on youtube.

I came across this story today and wondered how such an absurd bill could even be thought up, but then again we have a demoncratic majority in the White House, so shouldn't be such a shock to anyone.  If you say or preach that homosexuals are bad, it might soon be a 'hate-crime' and you could be breaking the law.  You can read the full story here:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/30/social-conservatives-blast-hate-crime-saying-limit-free-speech/

What's next?  A hate-crime law protecting murderers and pedophiles?  Sin is Sin - and it is wrong according to God and God ain't going to shut up for anyone!  His Word condemns sin such as homosexuality and it won't change no matter what the government decides.  It is the sin that God hates, not the people.  It is the sin we preach against.

I wonder how many preachers would compromise and not preach against it?  I guess God would really be sorting the chaff from the wheat - the test just may be ahead. Let the real Stephen's stand up!  I don't think Stephen was worried about who he offended and he sure wasn't like some preacher's today who don't want to preach against sin because they don't want to upset anyone.  Go ahead and try not to offend them right into hell.  Hell is going to be full of people that the preacher didn't want to offend by telling them they were wrong. A real Godly preacher will scream and tell you the road is out ahead!  He will warn you that if you go that way, you will die!  He shows his love for you by telling you the truth!  Read Acts 7 and after his sermon - you see the effect it had on the people because their deeds were evil, let's look at see:

Acts 7:54,57-58

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him:

They couldn't stand the preacher man preaching against their sin. They wanted to shut him up!  Just like the homosexuals want people to shut up across our land because they don't want you calling them out in their sin. It reminds me of a recent sermon that Pastor Davis preached called "Stop the Sermon". It gets uncomfortable when God gets on your sin and its supposed to be that way - its called conviction! God hopes you will repent. You will either repent or get mad and keep on doing your sin.

Now we have these abusers of themselves with mankind getting mad at those who dare speak against their sin and evil hearts. God has something to say about it in His word:

Romans 1:26-28

God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 

They left the NATURAL USE of each other and BURNED IN THEIR LUST one toward another!  It is VILE......it is sickening!  They weren't born that way, they burned in their lust and CHOSE that way!  God gave us an example of what happens when a city is turned over homesexuality - we all know what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah and to this day, it is in ruins:

If you are using the standard large size soap bar, then this recipe will work fine. However if you use smaller soaps or a specialty one, you may have to add more or less water depending on the consistency you get when it is cooled. One bar of soap makes us around 10 cups of liquid soap and that only costs 30 cents!

• 1 bar soap
• 10 cups water
• Shredder
• Pan
• Stirring spoon

Pour your water into the pan on the stove and turn to heat to medium high. While the water is heating, shred your bar of soap (you should get a cup of shredded soap).  Then add your soap to the water and heat till all the soap is dissolved, stirring occasionally. (Don't allow it to boil)

Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into storage container or individual hand pumps. Once cool and set, it should be a thin gel, like the store-bought, if not you have used too much water and/or not enough soap. It will clean your hands nevertheless, even if you made it too runny......keep trying and you will get it right eventually.

** You can also make face soap using this recipe by using a facial soap bar (Dove, Olay, etc). You could also add essential oils for a scented version or even add some moisturizers if you want.