EASY Long-Hair Style – Elegant Cascade

It is yet another hot day here in the Pacific Northwest.

OK, hot for us.  We moss-covered folks are just NOT used to 80 plus degree weather… we… glisten (as they say in the south)!!

Another day for yet another EASY way to get my waist-length, naturally curly hair off of my back.  Can you tell I like easy styles? Using Flexi-clips has allows me MUCH more variety in hair styles all while being so easy to do!  The Flexi-clips are also much more comfortable than barrettes or the ugly plastic claw.

This one comes with a tutorial!!  It is my very first  tutorial.  I would love your feedback on this.  You can see a pictorial only tutorial on my Pinterest Hair Styles board.  You can follow me on Pinterest for more of these kinds of pictorial tutorials.  I am planning other Pinterest only surprises… 🙂  You won’t want to miss them!

Elegant Cascade Hair Style

Items you will need: one barrette, one Flexi-clip (I used a medium Celtic Cross)

1. I start with my hair all down.  This is recently washed, scrunched up with some products to help keep down the frizzies, and it is mostly dry.

     2. Put your hair into a half-up, secured with a barrette.

3.  Gather your hair into a ponytail and hold in right hand.  Place your left hand against the back of your head with the pinkie just under the barrette.  Pull the ponytail up while sliding your hand along the pony until it is just above the barrette.

Fold the ponytail so there is a ‘bulb’ of hair about 2 inches in length(it can be longer or shorter) above the barrette.  You may have to adjust the size Flexi-clip you use so the folded ponytail won’t slip out.

4.  Remove your left hand from under the raised ponytail and hold onto the folded ‘bulb’ of hair just above the barrette.  While continuing to hold the folded ponytail, place the decorative part of the Flexi-clip onto the folded ponytail and slide the attached pin underneath and above the barrette.  Slide the pin into the Flexi-clip.

Have a great week and keep cool with your hair up!

Blessings, ~Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R)

I am a Lilla Rose consultant and links go directly to my website where you can purchase this clip as well as other clips and hair jewelry.

Other posts that may be of interest to you:

So EASY to Style my Hair With Style!

Featured on Circle of Moms

This post also linked here:  The Better Mom, What joy is Mine, Raising Arrows, Homestead Revival, Far Above Rubies, Time Warp Wife, Growing Home, Thankful Homemaker, Raising Homemakers, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, We are THAT Family, Deep Roots at Home, A Mother’s Heritage, Women Living Well, Intentional Me, Our Simple Country Life, At the Picket Fence, Best Post of the Week, Serenity Now, Homemaker by Choice, Comfy in the Kitchen, Finding Beauty, Fashion Friday, GNOWFGLINS,

So EASY To Style My Hair and with STYLE!

This is how I wore my hair today and yesterday.

It was so easy to put up.  The Flexi clip and U-Pins did not gouge my head in the least.  My hair didn’t feel heavy at all.  The best part was this stayed in firmly all day long both days!

I am wearing a coiled bun and used the X-Large  Enchanting Copper Rose Flexi with the Copper Rose U-Pins for accents.

I gathered my hair into a ponytail and then twisted it all tight.  The twisted hair I coiled into a bun, tucking the ends underneath it all.  The flexi-pin I placed on top of the bun.  I then slid the pin underneath the bun and into the other end of the clip.  The U-pins I placed with the “u” shape in the opposite angel from my head.  I inserted the u-pin ends into the edge of the bun, then tipped up the u-pin so the bend angle was now in alignment with my head shape and slid it in and under the bun, repeating with the second u-pin.  The U-pins don’t hold the bun but are for accents.

My hair is waste length, of a medium thickness, curly and cut with layers.  You can see a photo of my hair here.

If you are interested in news of my own personal specials, and hairstyle ideas or if you are interested in receiving my Lilla Rose newsletter (that’s where I send you news on company sales and new items), it’s all on my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/LillaRoseAuntMaes

If you are interested in my newsletter, but don’t facebook, just email me and request my newsletter.  I would be happy to add you!

Blessings, ~Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R)

Other posts of interest:

The Fireworks Have Arrived!

Faberge and New Hair Sticks

Three New Flexi Clips

A Whole New Look and I’m A Lilla Rose Consultant

This post linked here: The Better Mom, What joy is Mine, Raising Arrows, Finding Heaven, Homestead Revival, Far Above Rubies, Time Warp Wife, Growing Home, A Pause on the Path, Thankful Homemaker, Raising Homemakers, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, We Are THAT Family, Deep Roots at Home, A Mother’s Heritage, Women Living Well, DIY Showoff, Intentional Me, Our Simple Country Life, Jill’s Home Remedies, At the Picket Fence, Best Post of the Week, Serenity Now, Comfy in the Kitchen, Finding Beauty,

The Fireworks Have Arrived

Dazzling Sparkling Fireworks will dazzle and delight any hair style with the sparkling accents of red, white (clear), and blue. Here’s your chance to show your patriotic colors!

A second July FOTM will be released sometime in July to bring the warm weather beachy style right to our homes.

June 6th – A Momentous Day

Today is a momentous day.

Yes, back in 1944 was the invasion of Normandy, France by the allied troops.  It is referred to as ‘D-Day’.

43 years later there was another momentous day on June 6th.

It was the day of my marriage to The Patriarch.  Yes, that makes today our 25th Wedding Anniversary!  I guess you could say this is also… W-Day.

I ran across this post today – To Love Honor and Vacuum.  She lists some good tips for keeping your husband the man of your dreams, even though there is now much water under the bridge!

I will list her headings and add my own comments below that list.

1) Don’t Compare Him, 2) Find Things to Praise Him For, 3) Don’t Try to Tame Him, 4) Embrace a Healthy S*x Life.

1) Whew!  I wouldn’t want him to compare me to another woman, especially a fake one from the movies or a magazine!  This is the man you chose to marry, the man you ‘fell in love with’, enjoyed talking with and spent hours getting yourself ready for.  Learn to love him for who he is!  If he is adoring you above all else, worshiping the ground you walk on, etc  then his priorities are wrong.  You should come after his love for the Lord, not before.  That other idea is a false humanistic view of love.

Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, ² that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. ³ Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  Deuteronomy 6:1 – 5

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Mark 12:30

My dear husband goes to work every day, working hard to provide for us.  He is out slaying his dragons, taking dominion over his part of the world.  Currently his work environment is Christian-hostile, anti-intellectual and physically and spiritually draining.  My desire is for him to “want” to come home every day.  I sure don’t want to do, say or behave in a way that would drive him away!

2) When I have my priorities in their proper places it is much easier for me to take my eyes off of what I perceive as my needs and focus on what his needs are.  I do not do this as well as I would like, but with the Lord’s help I am improving one day at a time.

I also am careful not to praise him in a way that seems artificial or fake.  That seemed to be a problem in his extended family and in his childhood home the pendulum swung so far the other way that no compliments were given for anything.  I don’t gush with meaningless words but am specific in what I am praising him for.  Sometimes if is an “offhand” kind of comment, like when I told him I love the way he leads our family devotions.  It was part of a larger conversation and fit in context.  I wasn’t “looking for something to compliment him on”, but mentioned something I genuinely appreciate.

I also take what opportunities I can to praise him behind his back.  Years ago as a Creative Memories consultant I attended consultant only crops.  There were a several women who spent lots of time tearing down their husbands.  Some I make sure to remember as examples for what NOT to do!

3) She says “don’t tame him”, but I see this as “Be IN Submission To Him”!  This is the age-old problem between men & women, brought about by our first parents…  Adam & Eve.

It can be so easy for we as women to fool ourselves into thinking we are being submissive when in actuality we are only agreeing with our husbands.  Do not think that I am doing this perfectly, for I am not.  There are still and always will be areas I can improve upon.  But there should be improvement!

If you asked your husband, would he say you are in true biblical submission to him?  Let’s not focus on the anomalies to a healthy biblical relationship.

Here are some questions I ask to test myself:

Has my husband asked me to do something that I have still not gotten done days, weeks or months later?

Am I making my husband’s wishes a priority in my day above what I think I ‘must’ get done today?

Do I talk over my husband?  Do I interrupt my husband?  Do I correct my husband in front of the children or others?

Do the children respect my husband?  If not, than the root problem may lie at my door.

Am I doing or saying anything that would discourage my husband from being the biblical leader of our home?

8 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3: 8 – 24

4) I have nothing to add here.

I think I told you before that The Patriarch was out of work for 2 months.  Once he got another job it was a number of weeks before we had our first full paycheck.  We were a full 10 and a half weeks without income.  I did not tell my husband that he needed to look for work, I knew he knew that full well.  My saying anything along those lines would be nagging.  He didn’t need THAT from me.  He asked me, as keeper of the accounts, how we fared financially and I gave him an honest answer.  Not making things look bleaker than they were or glossing over any potential difficulties.  I didn’t make any comments like, ‘well we could do that or have that but you aren’t bringing in a paycheck’.  If he decided to not do something, or to do something I made it all work to the best of my ability.  The same went for if we said anything to anyone or not.  He chose ‘not’.  It was well over half way through our ‘tight financial time’ when he thanked me for being supportive!  Once Arrow and I knew he would be leaving for work, we both told him we were glad he got a job but sorry he wouldn’t be home!  We all came to see this time as a blessing in our family.  I will share more on those things in a different post.

I was not always in submission to DH.  I was one who had duped myself into thinking I was, when the truth was I was not in submission.  Once I truly did submit myself to his biblical authority and I was no longer striving for his God-given-position as leader in our family so many needless arguments simply vanished!

I wouldn’t trade that false sense of freedom I once had for the true freedom I now enjoy.  It has been such a blessing!

So does that mean this is… D W Day?!!

Blessings, ~Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R)

Other posts you may be interested in:

LAF Has Returned

Resolution – More Attentive to DH

Peter Carl Faberge’s 166th Birthday & NEW Lilla Rose Hair Sticks

Today, Google’s front page honors Peter Carl Faberge’s 166th birthday.

Alexander III started the tradition in 1885. Every year, he commissioned an egg from his court jeweler, Peter Carl Fabergé, as a gift to his wife, the Empress Maria Fyodorovna. After Alexander’s death, his son, Nicholas II continued the tradition, commissioning from the firm two eggs each year.

At Easter, Fabergé himself would present one egg to the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna, while his assistant would present the second to Alexandra Fyodorovna, Nicholas’s wife. In all, 56 of these masterpieces were produced between 1885 and 1917, however, only 10 of these have remained in Russia. Masters from the Fabergé firm worked on each Easter egg for nearly a year. Designers, goldsmiths and silversmiths, jewelers, stone carvers, enamelers and sculptors all took part in its preparation, from the initial sketches to the finishing touches. The final word, however, was always had by Fabergé, “a great, incomparable genius,” in the words of Maria Fyodorovna.

These astounding creations often included delicate mechanisms. They were equally remarkable for their unusual design, the extraordinary precision of their execution, their magnificent detail and the wonderful selection of the most precious materials. The subject and form of each imperial Easter egg were unique. Some celebrated intimate family themes, while others honored notable events in the life of the Russian state and the imperial family.

Karl Fabergé created his famous ceremonial eggs as symbols of life and resurrection for Imperial families in celebration of Orthodox Easter. These eggs belong to the most celebrated goldsmith works of modern times and contain surprises, which were not revealed to the Czar’s family until Easter. Even when being asked by the Czar, Fabergé did not divulge the secret and answered stereotypically: “Your Majesty will be satisfied.”

And today, Lilla Rose released a new set of Cloisonné Bead Hair Sticks that are reminiscent of Faberge eggs.So very pretty!!  I love using Hair Sticks and can’t wait to order a set of these!!

You can order on my web page here.

Blessings, Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R)

Three New Flexi Clips!!

My oh my and are they beautiful!

Roman Stone Lite Sapphire

This Roman Stone with matching, sparkling, lite sapphire accents clip.  Available in 6 sizes!

Horse Head named Rose

An equestrian lovers dream!  A horse head in profile with simple jet and silver beads.  Perfect for any up-do.  Available in six sizes!

Classic Etched Cross

Classic etched cross with sparkling  clear beads to go with any style.  Available in a seven sizes!

The Mother’s Day Blues

I have been known in the past to remark that Mother’s Day is a Hallmark inspired ‘occasion’, and if your children don’t honor you any of the other 364 days of the year than why would you expect them to honor you on a specific day?

My friend, Bambi, over at “Nursery of the Nation” blog wrote an excellent piece on where our real focus should be on Mother’s Day.

I don’t know about you, but I sure NEEDED this reminder.  Truly does give “Mother’s Day” a whole new meaning!

I pray you are as blessed by her post as I was!  Blessings, ~Aunt Mae

She’s Got the Mother’s Day Blues

It’s almost here. Mother’s Day. The stores have flower bouquets readily available, and pink, feminine greeting cards are easily accessible in every grocery checkout line. I saw a huge sign outside a jewelry store the other day: “Tell her you appreciate her… with a diamond.”

Last time I checked, my five-year-old didn’t have enough money in his piggy bank to buy me a diamond. Unless your children are adults, the recognition of Mother’s Day falls on a husband’s shoulders.

And what if mom is single? What if her husband is deployed? What if he’s an unbeliever or a loving husband who simply doesn’t choose to make a big deal–or any deal–out of Mother’s Day?

Discontent
Mother’s Day can have the potential to bring discontent to our hearts. I’m ashamed to admit, in Mother’s Days past, I have found myself tempted to get a wee bit self-focused. Surely one day out of the year mothers deserve to be honored for all our hard work and sacrifices, right?

But the thing is, children don’t rise up and bless you until they are old enough to rise. A few of us may have young children that understand sacrifice and the eternal significance of our discipline, hard choices and protection of them, but most don’t. They won’t for many years.

I once helped a group of 6 year olds make homemade cards for their moms on Mother’s Day. I asked them to be specific about what they were thankful for in their mothers, remembering everything their moms did for them. Every single one of them said they were thankful their moms made meals. That’s all they could think of even after I prodded them. One of them even had me write, “Thank you for the bowls of cereal.” Ha!

The moral of that story is that number one–mealtime is very significant to children and number 2–it’s one of the only things they see that you do. Their little eyes just don’t see the magnitude of your influence on their lives, until much later.

And so it’s an unspoken rule, especially in the early years of motherhood, that Mother’s Day could be better named: Wife’s Day… or Husband-Better-Make-Wife-Feel-Good-or-He-Will-Get-the-Silent-Treatment-and-Probably-Never-Know-Why-Day.

Mother’s Day Focus: God and Others
It’s inside of all of us. We all want to be noticed, appreciated and valued. But if we’re to consider others more important than ourselves, we can instead:

*Make it a day of personal thanksgiving to God for the children He has blessed us with. Thank him for a husband who provides so that we can be keepers at home and enjoy the beautiful tasks God has called us to, as mothers.

*Focus on other moms who don’t have children who have “risen up” yet either. Make her a pie, send a card, call, text or email. Consider it a special opportunity to encourage her. And be specific about the virtues you see in her and the progress you see her making in her marriage and children.

*Plan a special meal for the mom or mom-figure in your life.

*Help your children send homemade cards to other women in their lives, and teach them to recognize their character and strengths so they can be specific in their letters.

*Remember women who aren’t mothers. Older women who were never able to have children, as well as women currently experiencing the trial of infertility. Take the opportunity to write them a homemade card that encourages them with scripture, or give them a simple gift.

*If you have children who would like to have a gift for you, help them by providing craft supplies or give them a few dollars (or extra chores to earn it). You can take them shopping rather than hoping or expecting that your husband will do it.

Don’t We Deserve Just One Day of Honor?
If our husbands, children or others honor us this weekend, it will be a blessing. But we don’t deserve it. What we did deserve has already been paid in full. The penalty we owed–has been paid by the sacrifice of Christ, justifying us and satisfying the wrath of our Holy God.

We’ve been saved by the grace of God, Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. No works…not even good wifely or motherly works, are enough to save us, nor do they earn us extra credit.

We serve our families all year, 24/7. If we know the call to lay down our lives for them it’s only because he laid down His life for us. We can serve and serve and serve, but apart from His sacrifice there is no serving. True greatness is attained only by emulating Christ’s example, the ultimate Servant–and only made possible by His sacrifice.

That is worth celebrating every day and every moment.

“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Mark 9:35

A Whole New Look & I’m a Lilla Rose Consultant!

I thought I should let you know…

~Mrs. R / Aunt Mae’s blog – Honey From Flinty Rocks has a new look!

Did you think you were at a different blog?

Nope.  Your right here, at the right place!

Check out my custom banner & buttons made by DollyMadison on Etsy.  Dolly is a dear, a joy to work with and does beautiful work in graphic design.  I am so pleased!

Once I figure out how to add them to my side bar I will have two custom buttons!!  They are SO CUTE!

  

I am also announcing the newest piece of my venture…

I am an independent Lilla Rose consultant!

I just got my first clips and they are the prettiest hair clips I have ever seen, are easy to put in AND they hold my hair… yes all of it!

The best part is, Lilla Rose is having a Mother’s Day special!  You can see the beautiful design in the photo and link below.  Ordering is easy, right from my Lilla Rose website!

Don’t miss your chance to get this beautiful clip!!

Comes in 6 sizes and limited quantities!

Free Shipping with $20 purchase now through Sunday 4/29!

Blessings, ~Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R)

Why We Attend the Christian Heritage Homeschool Conference

This year’s conference is at the end of this week.  Our excitement mounts as the days draw nearer, ever nearer!!

Why do we attend THIS conference above any others offered in our state?

Let me count the ways!

1) Christian Heritage’s conference is the only Christ-centered homeschool conference offered in my area.  When we first started homeschooling in the early 1990’s I did attend ‘another’ big conference in our area… it was the only thing I knew about at the time.  But it’s sole focus was on the teaching-mom.  There wasn’t a hint of anything that we believed was important.  Anything “Christian” was indicated as so in the brochure… so they could be avoided by the majority attending.  I was starving for the Christian message and sought out those that were specifically Christian!!  ‘That’ conferences biggest draw is the mammoth sized curriculum fair.  But THAT isn’t a draw for me, as I am interested in distinctly Christian materials to support the Christian training we supply at home.

2) Christian Heritage’s vendor hall is FULL of excellent, Christian materials!  This is by far THE BEST homeschool vendor hall I have ever had the privilege to attend.  I don’t have to examine science materials to discover that it is evolutionary based twaddle!  It is a LARGE vendor hall FILLED with materials of substance, quality and Christ.  Lots and lots of choices… so go with a list!!  It can be overwhelming.  🙂

3) Christian Heritage’s conference provides encouragement and teaching for me in my God-given roles of helpmeet, keeper-at-home, and instructor/discipler of the next generation, and for The Patriarch in his roles as prophet, priest, protector and provider for our family.   That encouragement keeps us going through the rest of the year and not become weary in well doing.  Neither of us had any of this modeled or taught to us in our childhood years and this excellent teaching helps us to understand and live out our God-given roles.

4) No matter what questions or concerns have cropped up over the previous year, the Christian Heritage conference has answered them from a biblical basis, there was a concern about college, a science question, each year has been something very different.   God is so amazing and gracious to do this for me… every single year!!

5) The Christian Heritage conference’s keynote speakers have encouraged, exhorted and taught us on a wide range of topics.  Keynote speakers in the past have been 2006: Doug Phillips, Steve Maxwell, Dr. Brian Ray;  2007 Voddie Baucham, James McDonald; 2008 Doug Phillips; 2009Viddie Baucham; 2010 Ken Ham, Kevin Swanson; and in 2011 Kevin Swanson, Geoffrey Botkin.  This year we are privileged to hear Voddie Baucham speak again.  The Patriarch was so blessed by him in 2007 & 2009 that he has been looking very forward to his return this year!

6) The entire Christian Heritage conference is very well organized starting with the greeters at the door, the registration table, information booth, speakers, vendor hall, and including the CD & DVD ordering.  And they get better and better every year!  No matter how big the conference is, or how busy anyone is, there is a sweetness and courtesy not usually found out in town today that is like a cup of cold water to a thirsty man.

7) The DVDs & CDs.  Yes, I know we could just order them online and skip the conference… but I can not imagine missing this conference!!!  The CDs & DVDs are also offered at a special conference price… so it’s a WIN, WIN!!  The CDs & DVDs are a way for me to have all the workshops I wanted, but couldn’t physically attend!  There is only one of me!!  We get to watch the excellent messages again as a family and  listen to various teaching as we drive in the van or sit at home.  I don’t know about you, but as we watch or listen to these presentations again many times I hear something I missed in the original hearing.  The topics are broad ranging and are timeless treasures!

New this year! The CHRISTIAN HERITAGE
“SEASONS OF DISCIPLESHIP” COLLECTION …
Audio Messages to Fit Your Family’s Needs

WHAT ARE THEY & WHERE DO I GET THEM?
This COLLECTION contains 11 sets of past CH Conference messages—selected for their timeless Biblical and practical encouragement for equipping your household:

• Tailored to meet you where you’re at as you go through the seasons of parenting and as your family’s requirements change
• 10 CD’s per Set—assembled by topic to suit the many needs of homeschooling families
• Available at Special Conference Prices at the CHRISTIAN HERITAGE CONFERENCE Booth (#24-25)—along with the popular Father & Son Retreat and Mother & Daughter Teas CD’s
• After the Conference, available via our CH Online Store at ChristianHeritageOnline.org

OTHER “SEASONS OF DISCIPLESHIP” SETS:
(Click Here to see all Speakers and Sessions in each Set)
~ SET 1 – Christian Heritage Conference Favorites
~ SET 2 – Godly Parenting & Family Relationships
~ SET 3 – Helpful Homeschooling Nuts & Bolts
~ SET 4 – Getting a Great Start
~ SET 5 – Keep Going – You CAN Do It!
~ SET 6 – Moving Forward into Adulthood
~ SET 7 – Conquering Learning Challenges
~ SET 8 – Discipleship Wisdom for Moms
~ SET 9 – Discipleship Wisdom for Dads
~ SET 10 – Encouragement for Sons (& Their Parents)
~ SET 11 – Encouragement for Daughters (& Their Parents)

Great for Personal, Family, and Group Bible study ~
and to Give as Gifts for Any Occasion!

8) We get to see friends we don’t see on a regular basis and meet new friends!

9) During break times, the young men have a football game on the lawn outside the main doors.  There are fellas wearing suits, jeans and everything in between.  It is a great way to burn off some of the pent up energy in young men!  I find it encouraging that the older young men do not shun the younger ones, but cheerfully include them in the game.  That is a rarity these days!

If you are in the neighborhood, please join us April 26th – 28th, 2012 for the

7th Annual Christian Heritage

Family Discipleship & Homeschooling Conference!!

Registration is available at the door.  We would love to see you there!!  🙂

Blessings, ~Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R)

Other posts you may be interested in:

Why We Homeschool

Daily Renewal – When Mothering Feels Too Hard

This post also linked here:

Resolution – MORE Attentive to DH

Peder Severin Kroyer

The fourth item on my resolution list is:

#4 More Attentive to my Husband.

The Patriarch is undemanding.  But I KNOW the cluttered house bugs him, though he doesn’t say a lot about it.  I want to get it all ship shape to please him.  He’s been pleased with what I have done so far!!

I need to be more deliberate about looking for more ways to be attentive to him.

One thing I have been trying to do is stop reading on my computer and turn to look at him when he is reading something to me from his computer.  He thought it was important enough to share with me so I should really listen better!  Shame on me for not doing this before.

This was not the resolution I thought I should work on first… apparently the Lord thought otherwise.  This past 25 days I have been given the privilege to demonstrate attentiveness and respect to The Patriarch  in a way I was not expecting.

You see, The Patriarch has been out of work since the 5th of March.

There are many things I could say about our situation but worried, grumbling and unhappy are NOT three of them!  😀  In fact we have been experiencing ‘the peace the passes all understanding’ from the very beginning of this current circumstance.  Your prayers for our job need would be appreciated.

On one of our walks the other day, both Arrow & I separately and unprompted, told the Patriarch that we have loved having him at home!  I did tell him that having a regular source of income would also be nice, but I will miss him terribly when he has to leave to go to work everyday.

When I made my resolutions list our current jobless situation was no where on the horizon.  The Lord has interesting ways of allowing me to demonstrate my resolution resolve!!

Being without a paycheck for the past four weeks also makes me even more thankful we have been preparedness minded!!  We have plenty of food, toiletries, education materials, entertainment activities, clothing, etc. and I have only had to go out to purchase perishables like milk and lettuce.  We were also able to pay all our bills this month.

We are trusting the Lord to bring about another job or have us start a home business (besides my soap).  There are a few job irons in the fire, but I am not at liberty to share any more than that at this time.

Blessings?  Why yes we have seen some from this extended time of joblessness.

1. The Patriarch’s blood pressure has been going steadily down!  The systolic is down 33 & diastolic is down about 17 from it’s highest reading!!  That’s a very good thing!  We are working at getting it even lower, but at least it is headed in the right direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. We have been able to have daily devotions both morning and evening!  Currently we are using two of Kevin Swanson’s books.  Proverbs in the morning and Genesis in the evenings.

In our Genesis reading for tonight was chapter 20 where Abraham’s wife if taken by Abimelech king of Gerar.  One question at the end was specifically for me, but I suspect that I may not be the only one who is in need of trusting…

Section end on how this passage teaches us to walk with god in faith and obedience:  “God doesn’t instruct wives to submit to their husbands out of blind trust in their husband’s impeccable wisdom.  Not at all!  They should submit to their husbands because they trust in a GOD of infinite wisdom.” – page 98

Family discussion questions:  How can a wife submit to her husband even when it seems like her husband is making some unwise choices?  Is there any point at which she should not obey her husband?

My answer:  I can readily submit to you, cheerfully so, because I know that God will use all the circumstances in our lives for our good.  God can always be trusted, even when the situation may look grim.  I know you did not mean this for our hurt (unlike Joseph’s brothers) but God means this for our good.  the only point where I should not obey you is where you ask me to violate scripture.

3. We are quite well rested!  We have been going to bed early and rising after a full night’s, restful sleep!  Since sleep is the number one thing you can do to begin healing your adrenals, I think we are on our way!  We have eliminated the major stresses, are getting proper sleep, reduced the caffeine to only tea and only in the mornings, have been limiting computer time (we don’t have television), and are getting regular exercise in our walks.  I have also reduced everyone’s sugar intake by using half stevia when and where I can along with de-cluttering the house (a stress factor).

4.  Gives me a chance to work with our preparedness supplies.   Actually cooking with our stored foods on a more regular basis.  As well as giving me the opportunity to be creative with what we have and make do with what’s already there.  One thing I already knew – we need to organize our supplies!!

Off to bed for us…

Blessings, ~Mrs. R (aka Aunt Mae)

Other posts you may be interested in:

My New Year’s Resolutions

Regarding Resolutions

Happy Valentine’s Day

LAF Has  Returnd

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