Something I needed to hear: http://comeandlive.com/let-god-fight/
Maybe you do too.
Laundry Detergent February 2, 2011
Joel and I are always looking for cheaper, more sustainable ways to do things, so this summer we began making our own laundry detergent. We spent around $3 and have made at least 4 gallons of detergent so far. It is super easy and we aren’t wasting new plastic containers.
First, start with
2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap
2 cups Baking soda
And plastic jugs to put the detergent in once its made.
Grate your soap
Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
- Add melted soap to 2 gallons of hot water, stir well.
- Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
- Let it cool before using a funnel to pour it into containers
- Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.
Enjoy your ridiculously cheap, but wonderful laundry soap! It does the job 
& what more do we need?
Love for the world January 23, 2011
This morning I was reminded of my deep love for the world. I had forgotten it in the past couple months of craziness. I’ve been so self-focused. I had forgotten the little Burmese children I worked with this summer. God has certainly grown my heart for that area of the world. I am fairly sure I do want to end up in Thailand at some point. Or posssibly Burma.
I want to care for children of the world, and their parents. I want to do something worth while. Mostly, I think I just need to get out of here — I’m sick of not making a difference in anything…I’m sick of all my time being used up by useless things.
This realization came at a funny time since I will be attending MAC (Ministering Across Cultures) next weekend!
Busy Crafting! (& Organizing) December 30, 2010
The past two days have been quite packed full of organizing and crafting. It all started when my mom let me take her old desk, since she got all ambitious and fixed up an old one, which turned out quite nicely! To fit this new craft desk I needed to rearrange everything, which I actually enjoyed doing – however, in the process, my (crappy WalMart) bookshelf fell apart. Joel decided that it would be fixable with a sturdy top and bottom. Off to Lowe’s we went! I was ecstatic to find that they cut the wood for you there! So we cut the pieces for the bookshelf and I decided that it would be nice to have a peg board for the desk.
Joel had already set up the desk for me, and so I was able to begin organizing all of my craft items on the peg board and the desk.
He quickly got busy drilling holes and driving screws into the bookcase to make it sturdy with the pieces of wood.
Here is what it looks like currently:
He is currently painting it black so it will all match.
Today I was so glad to have an organized space with my crafting supplies that I got to work sewing.
Apron made from a T-Shirt
- Shirts made into cloth napkins
Apron made from a skirt
It’s Christmas Time! December 14, 2010
It is that time of the year; when I’m trying to craft like crazy to get presents finished up.
A couple weeks ago I put up a Christmas tree, and decorated an area of the house. It has definitely brightened my mood. :)
Here are some pictures of the tree and the “Christmas table.” And also of the mukluks I FINALLY finished so that I can send them out to Laura!
Philippians 4:6 December 5, 2010
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
This verse has been brought to my attention a couple times in the past few days, so I realized maybe I should really take a deeper look at it. As a person who has occasional anxiety about absolutely nothing, this is a rough verse for me to swallow. I love that I can take my requests to God, but do I seize being anxious once I do? Rarely if ever. Often instead I get angry and wonder why God made me the way he did. I’m sensitive and selfish and putting it together I often just cry at how awful of a person I think I am when all I do is say one wrong thing. Haha. In reality, I know that I am not an awful person, I know that I have worth and it has nothing to do with my actions.
Come to think of it, last night I was having a little bout with anxiety and I must admit – I don’t think I prayed about it.
God, please take this anxiety from me, make me into the woman you want me to be.Eat. Pray. Love. December 4, 2010
My first experience with this book and movie was this summer as I listened to the audiobook on the way to and from Grand Rapids.. It was one of those books that leaves you thinking, invigorated with those dreams you once had. (or maybe other people still have those dreams, and I’m the only one who occasionally leaves them behind her…) After reading this book I had a dream of taking this year to travel. Part of me is disappointed that I didn’t make it happen, that I didn’t trust God enough to take care of the financial aspect of going on the Human Trafficking World Race. However, I trust that right now is where I belong. Maybe I need to struggle a little longer with these things that are weighing me down and maybe I need to learn that running away isn’t a good solution because the problems are always there when you get back. Take Colorado for example: GREAT time in my life, but I came back to the same old problems. However, who knows if I would have had the strength to finally walk away from the biggest problem at the time.
In this book the main character goes from learning how to have pure joy to pure self control, to a balance. The self control part was the part I found most interesting. At some point in the movie she says that she is her own god, and that everything she is doing while meditating or whatever else is for her. Unfortunately I see this same ridiculous thinking among many Christians, including myself. We seek out to please only ourselves. We will give as much of ourselves to God as makes us feel good. We are selfish beings. At this point I’m not sure if we do anything that we do not believe will benefit us in some way. This includes doing someone a favor because it makes you feel like you are a good person. Do we do the favor just to boost our ego?
The truth is that we are NOT our own gods. We have ONE God who is on high. He deserves all of us. Not just whatever feels good.
Because of this behavior, I have begun to have very little faith in humanity. It feels like we are all fighting a losing battle with Satan, even though I know God is so much more powerful than all of this. All I see around me is selfishness and pettiness. It is disheartening. I have withdrawn from the world because right now I don’t even understand most of the time what God’s plan for community is. Or what God’s plan for relationships is. My skeptical attitude lately has caused me to retreat to crafts & sleep.
I pray that I can work through these issues of community.
Ashley and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day December 3, 2010
Today is one of those days. It is an awful day.
First of all, I didn’t walk today. I drove because I wanted to utilize my lunch hour to go buy some Christmas decorations (& a tree!). Both stores took forever to get through and so I barely had time to eat lunch. I had to drive to work this afternoon because I didn’t have time to walk after eating. My computer keeps giving me the BSOD (Blue screen of death) and I feel like a failure as a tech because I can’t even keep my own computer running smoothly. This whole week has been exhausting and it isn’t done yet.
There are so many more reasons why I’m having an awful day…but there isn’t enough time, privacy, or room to explain it all.
Day 2 December 2, 2010
I have learned a couple things about being a pedestrian already:
1. Make eye contact with drivers — to be sure they see you while crossing a driveway or intersection
2. Wear waterproof boots in the winter or your feet are wet ALL DAY
3. When you are cold, just tell yourself it will be just a bit further and before you know if you’ll be sweating!
4. Don’t give yourself the option of driving. Even as you look at your car sitting there all lonely, realize it is NOT AN OPTION. (well at least while you aren’t going anywhere more than a mile away)
Today I have (or will have) walked about 2 miles. 237 Calories burned. And my legs are beginning to feel it.
Day One December 1, 2010
Today was the first day of walking instead of driving. I did not once even touch good ‘ol Lizzie (the car). Notice the pronoun the as opposed to my. I am trying to get away from talking about things as mine, I’m trying to have a more universal view of items- that they are not truly anyone’s… they are God’s alone.
I believe that blogging will help me focus on the reasons I want to do this in the first place, and also keep me in a positive mindset.
Today I walked a total of about 3.5 miles. This totals about 370 calories burned with time built into my day for solace.
I was able to think about all kinds of things today as I walked to work and home. I was able to think about the blessings God has given me, such as an able body and warm clothes. I has become a major realization that I haven’t been taking care of the most precious gift I have been give – my own body and soul. I have thought of it as mine, mine, mine (like the selfish brat that I am) but it is a tool given to me by God to glorify Him – and I certainly am not glorifying Him with it by being lazy and fruitless.
I have also been thinking about selfishness. I have been blessed my whole life with many things ranging from talent to smarts to material possessions. Despite this I have the nerve to continuously ask God why He isn’t here with me. Even as a now adult with a good job, I am still asking for more and more. When will I be satisfied. When will I be content? I pray that I can learn patience and the art of contentment. I am blessed and continue to be blessed. In fact after (finally) paying my tithe I was given a pretty nice check and I found out that I wasn’t going to have to pay for rent all on my own next semester. Woo hoo! God IS GOOD!
