Saturday, February 18, 2012

Rain, rain go away.

"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me."  Psalm 139:1-5



    On days like this when it seems to rain every other day all-day, you have to be creative in finding things to do to maintain peace and unity in the house.  Everyone needs a little sunshine and gets cranky when we are all under-foot.  It is so wet outside right now, that if I stepped out to my car I would be ankle deep in water.  I love to do yard work when the temperatures are mild, but that is absolutely out of the question today.  In fact, it will take several days for our front yard to dry out and several weeks for our back yard.  I am thankful that yesterday was beautiful and my husband and I actually sat in our swing and enjoyed the sunshine.  This morning, after breakfast I took the opportunity to help my daughter organize her dresser drawers and filter out things that no longer fit that we can give away while my husband was busy cleaning the kitchen (we share chores and take turns).  I cleaned the baths and floors yesterday, so after laundry is done we do not have much left unless we get obsessive about it.  My focus is to have less stress in my life, so I will save that for a day when everyone is gone and I am completely bored out of my mind.
     Fortunately, I moved my seedlings inside the other day.  I had them covered outside, but we had some nights that dipped down to 20 degrees and my corn sprouts died.  But I replanted them and everything is coming up nicely inside.  We are limited on space so they are on one end of my dining table in the west window.  I have built my raised bed, but I need to find some 2x4 scraps to level it and secure it into the ground and finish lining it and get a load of top soil brought in.  I plan on making row covers with pvc pipe this year in hopes of avoiding the bugs and reducing heat damage.  For now, I have done all that I can do with this rainy weather pattern that we are in this week. 
     Yesterday I tried to make my first homemade yogurt.  I have not tested it yet to see how it is.  It smells great, but I have not mustered up the nerve to taste it.  I have half of it straining in a coffee filter to make cream cheese.  I am in the market for a local fresh milk distributor, so I can make more dairy products at home like cheese and butter.  With a bit of elbow grease and time, you can make healthy homemade foods for your family that is not filled with unknown chemicals.  I do not get psychotic about it and I do not pay 4 prices for it, but I do my best to find our best options.  There is just something special about serving others something that you worked on with your own hands.  I would much rather buy something from a carpenter that saw a piece of furniture through from the planning, nailing, sanding, and to the final staining than someone on an assembly line that had no personal care about it.
     Last weekend, I made my laundry soap and fabric softener and yesterday, I cleaned up all of my new soap bars.  I put the scraps and shavings into jars with boiling water to melt for bath gel.  It smells sooo good, I can hardly wait to use them.  One is peppermint and one is creme brulee'.  There is nothing in the aroma area left to do.  I had my initial personal Bible reading this morning and I will read again later before bed, but I will grade papers tonight when it gets dark. So I need to find something productive to do...huhm.  I am not in the sewing nor crocheting mood.  I may scrapbook or just organize my bedroom.  My husband is working on his homework (online classes) and is on the computer.  I do not, I repeat, I do not want to waste my time watching TV, but I have a feeling that we may be popping popcorn and watching something before the day is out.  I do not know what to do.  I need to practice my flute when everyone does not have to have a quiet environment (the focus is on practice).  I think I will go in my room and put on some praise music and let the Lord lead me.  He helps me turn work into fun.  I do not mind scrubbing toilets as long as He is by my side.  Who knows...I may just sit in the floor and listen for His voice.  I think that sounds like the best idea.  While my husband is preoccupied and my daughter is playing with her toys in her floor, I may go relax in mine.
     I hope all of you that have yucky weather and cannot get outdoors can find something wholesome to do.  Please share your rainy-day activities with me.  I love board  games and card games, but my husband and child...do not enjoy them as much.  God bless and stay dry.
Marla B.

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