Trying to be Thrifty

We are continuing to pray about our financial situation. We have clued the boys in on our situation. I like doing things as a family and we prayed together about it. I want the boys to help make a difference. Turn off lights when not in the room, don't let the water run full blast while rinsing dishes or brushing teeth, etc. Taking care of the little things helps.

Over the weekend I completed my new wardrobe. I scored some good deals. I got a pair of $30 pants for $10. And then I found some plain long sleeve cotton tops on sale for $3.59! Now I am all set on clothes. In addition to finding some good deals on clothing I am trying to work wonders with meals in the kitchen. I have got a big pot of beans soaking on the stove. They are always a healthy cheap meal. Have you noticed the price of laundry detergent? I cannot believe how expensive it has gotten. I mostly use vinegar for fabric softener now. Besides being cheap and helping to neutralize odors, it helps keep the drain clear.

We watched two movies over the weekend. I saw them in Christianbook.com's catalog and then went looking for them at Blockbuster. One is called the "Sin Eater" and the other one was "The Note". Both are good movies.

From the Charm of Simple Things:

Delight in Simple Things

Learn to like what does not cost much.
Learn to like reading, conversation, music.
Learn to like plain food, plain service, plain cooking.
Learn to like people, even those who may be very different from you.
Learn to shelter your family with love, comfort and peace.
Learn to keep your wants simple.
Refuse to be owned and anchored by things and the opinions of others.
Learn to like the sunrise and the sunset, the beating of rain on the roof and windows, the gentle fall of snow in winter.
Learn to hold heaven near and dear.
Learn to love God, for He surely loves you.

~Anonymous

By Faith

I had been feeling nausea off and on for a couple of weeks, but today I noticed I have not been having nausea. Mark tells me not to get too excited because it may come back. I know he is right, but I am thankful for the break. Brandon was complaining of having nausea, then one night he got very ill and vomited. Thankfully he was better the next day. I still have a cold in my head and trouble with my throat. Along with that, I have been adding more fiber to my diet as my doctor asked me to do. I had half a bowl of steamed veggies for lunch on Friday and had pain. Today I tried Benefiber. It went down okay, but tonight I am having troubles.

Mark called and made the appointment for the Barium enema test. I have to fast on a liquid diet for 2 days and take a special laxative. I am not looking forward to it, especially with me weighing only 102 to 104 lbs. Mostly worry about the pain of it all. Mark said he will go on a liquid diet too (he needs to lose weight). I am so thankful that he is willing to do that for me.

We talked about our finances, we usually do after the holidays. We are hanging on for now, but private school is expensive (even when it is half homeschooling). I am wondering how long we can hang on. It is going to be more expensive for us next year due to how many classes Eric will be taking. Plus, Christmas left us with a deficit due to hospital bills. We remain prayerful.

Emotionally, I am having difficulty. It is humbling to admit it. I worry that I am not a good Christian because I am struggling. It has been a very long journey with my health and I am growing weary. Simply said, I want to be well for my family, I don't want to burden them anymore. I am much better as far as endometriosis goes, which I praise God for, but the bowel issues are hard especially since last year with the colostomy my bowels were working great. Better than they had in many years and it was a blessing I wanted to keep. I did not want to submit to reconnection surgery because I knew there was a chance it would cause me some new issues. But I sought the Lord's will and I believe it pointed to reconnection. So I laid down my gem for Him. Because there is so much scar tissue inside my body from all the sepsis, peritonitis, endometriosis and surgeries there may be no way to make it better. But then God has done miracles in my life before and I have to remember that. I just keep trying to follow Him.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.

~Von Schlegel

Thank You!

Friends, I humbly thank you for your prayers. I can see the Lord's great love through your posts. I wanted to let you know how much your prayers have made a difference. Amazingly, when Mark called on Monday morning we got an appointment for the next day (Tuesday, Jan. 6). Mark said he was completely surprised and he decided to take a day off from work so he could come to the appointment. My doctor is a very good man. I told him my symptoms and he said they sound more associated with my large bowel than the small. He has been concerned about my small bowel ever since I had the blockage. He did an exam and told me that the site of the reconnection is open. More so than he expected. That was excellent news and helped put me at ease. He said that there could possibly be a kink above the site, so he wants me to get a barium x-ray just to make sure. Wouldn't you know, for the first time in weeks, I had a normal movement this morning. It was a blessing, but with how things have been it could change back tomorrow. Oh, yes, my doctor also said he wants me to increase my fiber intake. I have been lax in that area because last time I did I experienced the intestinal blockage. I am sure it is just a mental block at this point. Even so, when I told Eric I was going to start eating my steamed veggies again he was not too keen on the idea.

Between my bowel, having a cold, home schooling and trying to keep up our home, I have been quite overwhelmed. Sometimes I fall asleep holding my Bible close to me. The boys have so much work I can barely keep up. Trying to keep the both of them focused and organized is tough especially when they both have ADD (I don't believe in medicating - I pray). Since we are coming up on finals for the semester, there are reports and presentations on top of the daily work. Plus, I am teaching Eric history at home so I have all the grading of his papers, planning assignments, etc. Sometimes the clothes pile up or there are dust bunnies on the floor as some things have to wait when others cannot.

Even when things are overwhelming, there are the little joys. Like a homemade ham salad sandwich for lunch, a cold glass of apple cider, or the smell of an eggnog scented candle burning on the table. Here is another quote from "The Charm of Simple Things":

"When we forget the obvious, the little joys, the meals together,
the birthday celebrations, the weeping together in time of pain,
the wonder of the sunset or the daffodil peeping through the snow,
we become less human."

Madeleine L'Engle

Whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen. 1 Peter 4:11.

Feeling Afraid

I have been feeling afraid lately. I know things are not right with my bowel. I am digesting my food better, but my colon is not working correctly. I am still skinny, weighing in at 103. I get worried that if I have to have more surgery, how much more weight will I lose? I get a touch of nausea off and on everyday now as well as pain. I also experience bloating and water retention. When I get that my body starts feeling sick. Thankfully, taking a laxative has helped when I can't push it out. But then I worry, what if one day the laxative doesn't work? Once things move I feel much better, but then it starts all over again. I have always been one to go every morning like clock-work, but that isn't happening anymore. To be honest, my colon is not working as good as when I was first put back together. I just do not know what to expect day to day. On top of all of this I have caught a virus that is hanging out in my throat. I am just feeling down and out right now. All I can do is keep plodding along waiting on the Lord to bring healing. Mark is going to call the doctor's office and see if I can get in this month rather than waiting till February. I pray that something opens up.

"The good man does not escape all troubles - he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one." Psalm34:19

Winter at the Cottage

Happy winter! I view Jaunuary as a quiet month. The holidays are over and it is a time to rest and reflect. Cold winter days tend to force us inside. Today was a cold, gloomy day for us and it rained in the afternoon. I have not felt well, so I have stayed in. Eric has been sick with a bad chest cold so he has been staying in as well. Tomorrow is our last day of vacation. I am not looking forward to the stress of starting school up again. The end of the semester is coming and there are projects to finish and reports to write.

Above is a picture of my winter decorations. I found the blue dish and the snowflake at my favorite antique mall called "Country Roads". I also have glass birds on the shelf that were my Grandmother's, but they are not easily seen in the picture. Below is a picture of a winter arrangement I made for the living room.

I changed the look of the guest bed for winter, where Dusty is enjoying an afternoon nap.

On another note, since I have lost so much weight, my clothes are too big, so I have been putting them into storage. There is not much left to wear and I have had to go buy some clothes. I shop at the discount stores so it can be hit and miss. I get what I can. I am finding that I rather enjoy having less in the closet. Here are a few excerpts from "The Charm of Simple Things" that express what I am meaning to say:

One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach.
One can collect only a few and they are more beautiful if they are few.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

We can choose to be rich by making our wants few.
Alexandra Stoddard

I hope that having less will help me to enjoy more fully the clothes I do have and stir a greater attitude of thankfulness in my heart.

It's the Bits & Pieces

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for all the lovely comments. I am sincerely grateful for all your kind and uplifting words. Today I wanted to post a little something that might be uplifting to you. I found this in my book called "The Charm of Simple Things".

It's the Bits & Pieces that Count

"Women would like to make one big spiritual sacrafice. We would like to do one grand thing and be assured everything will work out well. But we can't. It's the bits and pieces put together year after year that count. Sometimes we don't see meaning in the little things and we are not conscious of how it all works together to create a powerful image. The little things we do at home, like putting wildflowers in a vase, are invisible medicine for all the bumps and bruises of family life. The connections we make in our daily rounds, an old photograph tucked into a frame, a lullaby each evening by the bedside, a hug among fresh clean linens, are the putty that holds the mosaic together."

Written by: Ingrid Trobish ~ Keeper of the Springs

This is just what I needed to hear as I start 2009. It is daily work in the little things that hold everything together. I know when I was in the hospital for a month in 2007, one of the things God impressed on me was the importance of serving my family. Doing the laundry and cleaning the bathroom is not glamorous work, my flesh desires to do something more grand, but then I think of Jesus, who bowed down and washed the disciples' feet. He asked us to follow His example. Being humble, being a servant, this is the pathway to show God's love.

I will continue to share excerpts from this book that inspire me with hope that they will also inspire and uplift you.

Blessed 2009 to All!!!

Wishing all happiness, health and spiritual growth in 2009. We rang in the new year at my brother's house. Today we are relaxing at home. In other news we discovered that an on-line newspaper article had been written about the Rubik's Cube competition that Eric was in. Below is a quote from the article that mentions Eric.

"10:45 a.m. Eric Finley, 15, of Santa Ana, finishes his first official competition scamble in 1 min, 38 seconds, far off his personal best. “I’m just happy to be solving one of the toughest puzzles in the world,” he says, disappearing into a crowd of teenagers in jeans and very dark shirts."