Years ago, my dear friend Betty Fitzsimmons shared with me the concept of God’s soap making. She talked about the sacrifices in the Old Testament. The ash, the water, and the fat that we see evident in these Old Testament sacrifices.
As a soap maker (lye soap maker) myself, I found this very interesting at the time and have never forgotten it.
In Malawi, laundry is done with water drawn from a nearby well and scrubbed by hand, in a bucket with bar soap. Unlike the lye soap I make, it is green. I have yet to figure out why it is green.
Recently, I came across this article in Apologetics Press and thought it would be great to share with you.
Have you made such connections? Have you connected the washing in Titus 3:5 with the cleansing in the Old Testament and the cleansing in baptism?
And 1 Peter 3:21 “There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus, Christ,
God is amazing! His word is amazing! Jump in today!
This is how I learned about Fermented Lemon Ginger Honey. Last year in January, I got sick. Regina, a friend from church, sent me some of this concoction. It was so soothing to my scratchy throat, cough, and cold symptoms! I couldn’t wait to make some of my own and I have been making it for a year now. I try to always keep some on hand.
While in Malawi I made some for our host who was also suffering the same symptoms. He also found relief.
organic lemons, fresh ginger and unfiltered honey.
Start by adding some honey to the bottom of the pint jar, then layer lemon slices, ginger, and more honey. Repeat until it is full. I seal the top with the honey. It looks really thick as you make it, but soon it will be juicy. I check it and push down the lemons each day or flip the jar over a couple of times. Sometimes I cover the top with honey if needed. I let it ferment for two weeks. It is soothing by the spoonful or in hot tea.
It really is amazing.
The Quilt Story. The photo of the beautiful quilt is just to spread a little homemade happiness today. This was made from scavenged pieces of fabric from old clothes. It was made many years ago by my husband’s grandmother. She passed away in 1982. I was told she made enough of these quilts that her children, grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren were able to have one of these handmade treasures.
Since we got home we have enjoyed the simple joys of hot clean water, sleeping in our own beds, cooking, preparing flower beds for spring, and mostly visiting with our families. Biological and Christian.
Malawi
Having spent two months in Malawi (September 12 – November 8) it is good to sleep in our own beds. As we left the airport, we headed to West Virginia to visit my mother-in-law and two sisters in laws. Happily reunited and finding them in good health. We enjoyed a short visit with them. Then we made it home on the second night, where we slept 10 hours! We continued this trend for several days.
Three of our sons came and helped us with some unfinished projects. They helped us finish the gutter and prepare for winter in our little house. I was able to get a couple of flower boxes ready to plant for spring. My new focus is on studying cut flowers. Herbs have been a favorite of mine for many years.
Christmas Jam and Saurkraut
One of my hobbies is learning new things. Keeping the old crafts alive. My husband made a batch of saurkraut. I’ve still yet to make my first batch. Christmas Jam has been on my list since last year, and I am glad I was able to finally make some. Here is the recipe I used. https://www.theseasonedmom.com/christmas-jam/
Christmas JamSaurkraut
On Thanksgiving, we gathered at my mom’s house. This has been our tradition for many years. My sister and I spent Wednesday with Mom and helped get prepared.
We are not all able to be together every year, because we live in 5 different states, but there’s always a crowd, good food, and usually a game or two. This year, 24 of our family gathered. Their younger cousins enjoyed running around and playing, and sneaking marshmallows.
My mother is an amazing quilter and has been making each grandchild a quilt. This year, James received his quilt. The Underground Railroad. She took his love for history and made his quilt historical. It is beautiful and he was thrilled.
Underground Railroad
Turkey Bone Broth
I brought home the turkey bones. I know I am selfish 🙂 I made 3 quarts of bone broth. Yummy. To make the broth, I throw the bones in my crock pot or Instant Pot. Cover them with water with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar, some celery leaves, a bit of onion, and a carrot, etc., and cook them on low for 24 hours. The Instant Pot, I usually cook them for 3-4 hours until the bones are soft.
Bone broth
We kicked off Christmas and celebrated one of our grandsons’ 4 birthday. Graham Cracker houses have been part of our Christmas for a long time. It’s fun to see the second generation enjoying this tradition.
Today we have beautiful snow. We are staying home.
The tree in front of our house
Now we are back to work on our record keeping and reporting as we finish up this year. How did December get here so fast?
Thanks for reading along. Hug your family and don’t forget to enjoy the little things, the simple joys of living.
Today I would like to share a recipe with you that I received many years ago. More than 25 years ago.
A friend of mine, Cindy and I did Once a Month cooking together. We would get together and make a menu, shop and then have one big cook day for a month of dinners.
Cindy shared this recipe and it has been a long time favorite. I lost the recipe for a while but I would make it from my memory. It came from a magazine article but I never knew which magazine. (If anyone is reading this and knows who the credit should go to let me know!)
It’s a very easy recipe whether you make it ahead and freeze it or make it day of your meal.
I still make it though we are empty nesters. Let me know if you make it!
Skillet Spaghetti
Skillet Spaghetti
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
7 oz. spaghetti
28 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 water
8 ounces sliced mushrooms, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Directions:
In a large skillet, brown beef and onions; drain. Stir in uncooked spaghetti and the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and heat until melted. 4-6 servings.
I have been enjoying the simple pleasures of summer. Making sun tea in the morning sun. Mowing my lawn with my push mower and smelling the fresh mowed grass. Hot, sweaty work, but rewarding.
Herbs
Growing herbs, using them in tea, and for medicinal purposes, and in cooking is so satisfying. Today I picked some herbs and dried them to use later. My house smells so good.
Even if I didn’t use my herbs, I still benefit greatly from growing them. It elevates my mood to play in the dirt and to see things growing.
Educational
Learning about herbs and their uses is very exciting. Especially, reading how people contemporary with my grand and great-grandmothers used herbs to treat all kinds of ailments and illnesses is exciting and so educational and hopeful in a world filled with pharmceuticals.
Stories
I often say my yard has stories. I enjoy looking at my flowers and herbs and knowing who shared a sprig or root of each plant that I might have my own. It is so fun!
I hope you are enjoying your own simple pleasures of summer.
Mullein- Picked on a forage into the back woods with my friend Francis.Dill – early summer from my friend FrancisOreganoSun TeaFresh mowed grassFresh Herbs from my herb gardenDried herbsPhlox – from my friend FrancisDay lilies from my friend Pam (2 years ago)Irises – from my friend Pam last yearGlorious Deep Purple Iris – from my friend Pam last year
We have made these easy orange balls for many years and they are so simple even children can make them. I’ve enjoyed making these with my children and grandchildren.
I hope you like them too.
Ingredients:
1 box vanilla wafers crushed (I do this in my food processor)
One pound powdered sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
6 oz. orange juice concentrate thawed undiluted
1 stick margarine melted
** coconut to roll the balls in
Directions:
Combine the crushed wafers, powdered sugar, nuts, and orange juice. After these first ingredients are blended I add the melted margarine and blend again.
Shape about 1 Tablespoonful into a ball and roll in coconut. Place in a paper cup or on your tray.
These dry out quickly so you need to roll them in the coconut quickly or keep them covered. If you are not making them all at once then cover the remainder of the dough and refrigerate it. This makes about 6 or 7 dozen.
Most of my childhood and adult memories around Christmas come from spending time with family. Baking together, crafting together, doing puzzles, going caroling, watching Christmas classics on TV.
Many years ago when the kids were young we would make Christmas Sweet Trays to sell. I still make them mostly to gift. I wrote a small ebook about my Baking for Profit experience and published it way back when. For the next week (18-25) you can download it for free. It contains many of the recipes I make around the holidays. Several are no bake and kid friendly recipes even for younger children.
I hope this year you will enjoy time with your family baking, laughing, singing, and just being together. These memories endure.
Free Book
To enjoy this free download open the shop tab and look for the Baking for Profit ebook.
When I was a child, we received this recipe for Christmas strawberries, as a gift from the bank. The bank gave a collection of recipes printed on index cards as a gift at Christmas time. This was one of the recipes from that collection. I do not know who created the recipe. I have been making these for many many years.
Christmas Strawberries ( a no-bake, gluten-free recipe)
Christmas Strawberries
2 – 6 oz. packages of strawberry jello
2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) and 2 cups of coconut
1 can condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
**Red and green sugar are needed to roll the berries in
Empty dry jello into a bowl; add nuts, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Blend. I blend in my mixer. Keep the mixture covered until you are ready to shape because this mixture will dry fast. With your hands shape two teaspoonfuls into a strawberry shape and roll the pointed end in red sugar. Then dip the large end in green sugar. You may let them dry on waxed paper or place them in paper cups. These can be stored in the fridge for a week if they last that long. You may freeze strawberries for up to 6 months. This recipe makes about 80 strawberries. They look beautiful on trays! I grew up with this recipe and always receive a lot of great comments about the taste and appearance of these little strawberries.
Yesterday, I had a wonderful ride on a four-wheeler with my friend F.M. (she likes her privacy). My friend is 80+ years old and gets around like a young person. She is teaching me to identify Mullein. She lives on the land her husband grew up on, and generations have lived there before them. There’s evidence that Native Americans spent time on this land, too.
We had a beautiful ride through the Kentucky woods behind her house. The trees were stunning with their fall colors. The creek and rocks were timeless. This was my first time in these woods. It was such a treat. I saw remnants of previous houses and barns, the spring where she gets her drinking water and places they hunt.
Learning to identify Mullein
F.M. is a retired nurse yet she makes home remedies which were passed down from her dad to her and now to her daughters and to me. On this trip I was the student. She showed me how to identify Mullein. Best places to look for it growing. We found a lot of dead seed heads but finally found some living plants. We collected leaves and one plant with roots which I was able to plant in my herb bed at home.
She told me how to make use of the leaves. Last night I was able to take some washed leaves and steep them to make a tea to help my husband with congestion.
Feeling gratitude for life. Last week I was on my way home from my latest trip to Malawi. https://www.facebook.com/reddingmissions I met up with our small team and flew out of the Columbus, Ohio Airport. My friends met me with my car at the airport. They had cleaned and fueled my car. I felt so loved by this act of service. My car hadn’t looked that good in a long time. My small town in Kentucky doesn’t have a carwash so I was thrilled to see my car so clean.
The trip to Malawi was wonderful and so many great things are happening as this work continues to grow. God is just amazing. Check out the Redding Mission Trips Facebook page to see how you can get involved.
Gratitude
I feel such gratitude that God has blessed us with this work in our empty nest years. I was excited to get home and share with my husband so many things that happened on the trip and plans for the future.
With my Diet Coke in hand I turned on my current audio book and headed home. I am thankful I was able to sleep on the plane and felt rested so I could get home to my husband sooner.
I was traveling I-71 South. About half way home my car made a terrible left jerk and I hit the guardrail. Something broke under the car and the whole wheel, tire and some part flew off into the median. All I could see was a white cloud. I felt like I was floating My car came to a stop on the edge of the left lane. It was finished.
Two men (off duty firemen) blocked the road so that I would not get hit. They called 911 and checked on my mental and physical condition. Though I was a bit shaken I was not injured. They acknowledged the goodness of God.
I tried to call my husband but couldn’t reach him. I called someone from church who went and told him to call me. Soon he was on his way.
It took a while but the Sheriff’s. car showed up and made the report. He also took me down the road to wait for my husband.
I feel so much gratitude to God for the fact that I escaped without injury except for a little scratch on my hand. Thank you Lord for life. I am thankful for my life, thankful my wheel didn’t land in the other lane, and thankful no other car or person was involved or injured.
