Today's Proverb

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  

Proverbs 31:30

Enjoying Morning Light

I am not a morning person but I am trying to change that fact.  For two weeks now I have been successful in rising between 5 and 5:30 and I am truly enjoying it.  The coffee pot usually wakes me at 4:45 and when I get up that's the first place I head.  With hot coffee in my hand I slowly meander to my rocking chair in my office where I finally come alive. 

This morning as I drank my first cup of stimulant I couldn't help but be drawn to the appearance of the morning light coming in my window and making shadows on the wall.

With my discipline of early rising I am also being much more detailed and consistent with my to do list.  I am listing each day's hopeful tasks on my computer calendar on Sunday afternoon and through the week I add to it as need be.  This is working so well for me.  It seems to challenge me to be able to check off the items each evening.  Sometimes I get tired and think about moving a project over to the next day or week and then I rethink it and the desire to make my check mark wins out.  I am really motivated by this and the success and accomplishment I am experiencing. 

As I have said before I love going from to-do to ta-da!  Works for me!!

The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun.  Psalms 74:16

But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18

Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle.  Psalms 43:3

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.  Psalms 119:105

The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.  Psalms 119:105

Channels of His Grace

We crawl into bed each night and inevitably the same question passes between us. "Whatcha' doin' tomorrow -- what part of the valley will you be in?" I ask Precious Husband. His answer is always the same, "Service calls" and I always come back with, "Where?" I pretty much know what he will do each day but I do like to know where he will be.

Then he asks the same question of me, "How about you, what are your plans?" I like to think I am doing service too but Precious Husband doesn't have to ask where. He knows I will be happily at home.

Often he asks if I don't get tired of the same old jobs everyday. I really don't because they represent my love and service to my family. I like what Anne Orlund has to say about what may appear as the mundane here in this quote:
"In all the little daily patterns of the home -- the laundry going into the same hamper, the sweaters going into the same drawer, the hair getting washed and the shoes polished on Saturday nights -- God is at work. He delights to glorify Himself in the commonplace . . . He made our little chores channels of His grace." -- Anne Ortlund

She watches over the affairs of her household and
does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

Follow this link for some great encouragement along this same line

http://www.incourage.me/2010/01/setting-the-stage.html

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have read online several places about making my own laundry soap so I gave it a try several months ago and have not gone back to Tide since.  Because I am doing this blog with my daughters in mind thought I would post my recipe and how I go about making it.




I grate 3 bars of Kirk's Castile Soap with a cheese grater  then whirl it in the food processor till it becomes the size of rock salt (small as possible).  To this I add 1 1/2 cups of Borax and 3 cups of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda).  All these products can be found at Fry's or Walmart.  Mix all together and store in container of choice.  You know me, I had to put mine in a cute little chippy vintage enamel pot with a lid.  I use 2 tablespoons per load of laundry.  When I do my whites I usually add some Oxyclean too.  My clothes are clean, fresh smelling and soft.  This recipe makes enough for about 51 loads.  Making my own laundry detergent is one of the things I enjoy doing as I watch over the affairs of my household 

It Works For Me Tip

When ever you get together and study the Proverbs 31 woman someone inevitably  brings up the fact "yes, but she had servants".  Today's Christian woman has servants too.   Have you ever counted yours?  I have a fridge that keeps my food fresh and handy right in my kitchen.  I have a vacuum cleaner that works so hard chasing the endless hair from our dog.  I especially appreciate my washer and dryer that provide me with fresh clean clothes without having to trudge them out to the laundry in town.  I won't even begin to list my servants in the kitchen.  I am spoiled for sure but Precious Husband says I am not spoiled, just loved.

With the many servants come various instruction booklets and that brings me to my tip.  Normally these booklets were piled together in my pantry and it was a pain going through all of them to find what I needed if I had a question about my microwave or something.  So last week I gathered all these bundles of information together in a three ring binder with sheet protectors.  Now it is so simple just to leaf through and find what I want.  It sits neatly on the shelf too instead of a messy pile.  It works for me.

Yes, like the Proverbs 31 woman I too have servants and I sure appreciate all of them.  Now to get that washer going and the vacuum busy chasing the dog hair.  It's Monday.