Homestead in the City

Free Collector Obama Sticker

2008-11-10T11:41:00.004-05:00

Want a free Obama sticker to celebrate our victory? It's designed by Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the iconic HOPE poster. And MoveOn's giving them away totally free--even the shipping's free.

I just got mine. Click here to get your free Obama sticker. It looks like this:

Obama Wins!

2008-11-04T23:33:00.002-05:00

I am sitting here in tears. Obama won... he will actually be the next President of the United States. WOW. Praise the Lord!!!

VOTE - VOTE - VOTE! Be counted, be heard!

2008-11-04T11:21:00.002-05:00

This morning, I arrived at my polling place at 7:00AM and I waited for 2 hrs with my husband and 17 month in tow…. everyone knows how impatient I am… I did it and you can do it…. PLEASE VOTE!!! Everyone who knows me, knows that I am voting for OBAMA but if you are not still VOTE- VOTE- VOTE! Be counted, be heard!

On Aug. 26, 1920, American women were finally granted the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment. That is not even 100 years ago! Don't waste your voice- be heard- be counted VOTE- VOTE- VOTE!

The Pennsylvania Department of State's online voting information and resource center (if you have questions about voting) http://www.votespa.com/

What God says....

Romans 13:1-7 (NIV)

Submission to the Authorities

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Spruce Hill Fall Festival

2008-11-03T09:38:00.002-05:00

Happy Fall! Our family had a wonderful time at the Spruce Hill Fall Festival. We didn't celebrate Halloween, we celebrated family and played dress up. We marched a few blocks with a marching band. Some neighbors were on their porches with candy. And at the end there were cups of hot apple cider, cookies, cupcakes, carrots and celery. Can anyone guess what Hope picked? COOKIES!

">

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remberance Day

2008-10-15T14:03:00.005-04:00

From 2000-2006 I had 8 miscarriages. I was thankfully diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in 2005 and successfully had my baby girl, Hope on 5/6/07. Praise the Lord!

I do still mourn for the loss of my other babies and always will. To my babies: I love you....Mommy will hold you in Heaven

If you are able, please join me in the wave of light tonight at 7PM.

Please visit http://www.october15th.com/ for more information.

A peaceful Sunday

2008-10-12T16:44:00.005-04:00

Today was such a pleasant, peaceful day for our family. It was in the mid 70's and we went to where I work. They have lovely green spaces with squirrels and birds chirping all around. The squirrels were eating out of our hands, praise the Lord.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 (KJV)

Write on the Refrigerator!

2008-10-06T13:29:00.007-04:00

I was blessed by a generous, Christian sister named Beth. She agreed to share her great tip and article with us. Thank you, Beth!

---
This is the absolute best tip I have run across, and it has helped me in more ways than one recently.

I may have mentioned this before, but when I was in college & house-sitting for my mom's best friend, I noticed that she had messages scrawled all over her fridge! She was using dry erase markers...ingenious!

As I became a full-time homemaker, and got tired of losing my grocery lists every week, forgetting to write things down because it wasn't always handy (or a notepad simply wasn't big enough), or watched the list "migrate" all over the house...I remembered this tip. I added a new thing to my grocery list: Dry Erase Markers! I found some at Target. The marks are removable with furniture polish (I use Murphy's).

Keeping my grocery list on the fridge has been a miracle for my family! My hubby & I always knows where to find it. I write something down AS SOON AS I think of it. I don't categorize needs from wants, different shopping locations, or categories of food. I simply made a heading "Groceries" and prioritize before I head out the door. I grab a pen & post it note, stand by the fridge, and with my budget in mind, I decide which items we need the most *right now*. I write those things down first. Then I decide which ONE location carries most of those items, at the best prices, and go there first. As I think of recipes I want to try, I write the ingredients I need on the fridge, too. It helps with meal planning, budgeting, & prioritizing, all in one step, and saves me TIME. After I come home from shopping & have put everything away, I erase the items I purchased from off the fridge. At the end of the budgeting period, if we still have money to spare, the un-erased items are up for evaluation! That part is really fun!

But, recently, it has helped me in an unexpected way. During the early part of my 2nd trimester, I experienced some depression. It took me a while to recognize it, but when I finally realized it wasn't going away, I spoke to my OB about it. Among other things, she reminded me to get out of the house, and be sure not to isolate myself. When I'm feeling this way, however, I can't think of anything to do...or I think too much & get overwhelmed.

One day, when I was feeling pretty good & energetic, it occurred to me: Capture some of this good energy for those down-days! So, next to my grocery list, I made a new list called "Ideas". On it, I included fun things to do with Jack, creative tasks I've been saving for a rainy day, and fun places to go (that don't require money). I can't say the list did it all...but I haven't experienced another "down" day in 2 or 3 wks!

Next, I made a list called "*Good Habits* :)". I'd accidentally ended up on the Maxwells' Titus2 site one day (but there are no accidents in the Lord's plan!) and read Mrs. Maxwell's article about Depression. Very timely for me. One thing she mentioned was to allow your routine to carry you through the day, when you feel like you can't do anything else. "What is my routine?" I asked myself. So, under this heading, I've written the following:

*Wash clothes every morning & Fold every night. [Even one load is a good habit!]
*Clean up kitchen after every meal. Turn on dishwasher when full.
*Pick up as you go along (toys, clothes, trash, clutter).
*Other jobs as needed. If you see it, do it.

These habits carry me through, and I really feel like I have routine & order in my household. As I've stuck to these habits, I've found "a place for everything"...well, almost everything. He's still working on me!

Next, I made a list of "Needs/Wants". These are long-term purchases/goals that don't belong on the grocery list. They don't get erased often, but when they do, it feels great. It's also a good place for curious family members to pick up gift ideas! ;)

These 4 lists take up only a small amount of space on the side of my fridge, so it doesn't look cluttery.

The next big idea (I also picked this up while on the Maxwell's site that day) is to write a short, child-sized Bible verse on the front of the fridge, to say as a family each day with the blessing! My almost 2 yr old has a great memory, and my hubby loves this idea, too!

Beth

And the Academy Award goes to....

2008-08-21T12:05:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my husband surprised me by calling me and asking me to go out to dinner, my choice. I was so happy and called a place that I really liked when we had breakfast there a few weeks ago. Well, when we arrived there was not one thing on the menu that I liked. My husband gracefully let the restaurant staff know that the menu was "a little to exotic" for our tastes and we left. We decided to go to another restaurant with traditional American fare.

It was almost empty and felt very cozy. The waitress took our orders and then our daughter lost her mind...

She started whining-crying... ahheeee, ahhheee..... I tried to color with her, sing to her... nothing worked. I knew she was just fussy and wanted me to hold her but we are trying to train her to act properly in her highchair.

I then grabbed my camera from my purse without her seeing. I got it ready and said I am going to take your picture and send it t the Academy Awards... *flash*.....

She is such a ham for the camera that she stopped crying for the quick second for the picture and then began crying again.

A kind older gentleman came over and said "I have six children and 8 grands and I have NEVER seen anything like what your daughter just did." We laughed and laughed!

See the scrape on her head from the park? Thank God it was just a surface abrasion, no bump.

In God We Trust

2008-08-19T15:34:00.005-04:00

A special thank you to Ronnie for letting me know about this poll.

Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation.. MSNBC is taking a poll on 'In God We Trust' to stay on our American currency. Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject. Please do it right away, before NBC takes this off the web page. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

As of 3:30 PM ET the link was working. I voted...did you?

The Prosperity Prayer

2008-08-19T12:43:00.004-04:00

In my web travels, I came across the prayer below. I began to think.... how often it is that I want to control my finances by myself (with hubby). I try to give all of my thoughts, actions and deeds over to the Lord for His will (not mine) to be done. BUT in finances I somehow have been under the false belief that I could leave God out of the money issues -budget, savings etc It makes so much sense... ASK GOD!

Several years ago, my mother bought me a book about the prayer of Jabez. She touted that this book will work wonders in your life. I immediately was turned off. How could a book focusing on one passage be the answer to all things?? After reading the Prosperity Prayer, I realize it is not about receiving money or profits of any kind, it is about seeking God's infinite wisdom and will in our lives.

1 Chronicles 4:10(TNIV)

10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
--

The Prosperity Prayer
by Lynn Robinson

God,

I surrender my financial affairs and concerns about money to your Divine care and love.

I ask that you remove my worries, anxieties and fears about money, and replace them with faith.

I know and trust that my debts will be paid and money will flow into my life.

I have only to look to nature to see proof of the abundance you provide.

I release all negative thoughts about money, and know that prosperity is my true state.

I commit to being grateful for all that I now have in my life.

I learn to manage my finances wisely, seeking help where needed.

And finally, I ask you to help me understand my purpose in life and to act on that purpose with courage and strength. I know that prosperity will come, in part, by doing work I love. Please help me use my skills and knowledge to be of service in the world.

Thank you, God.

I pray this in Jesus Name
Amen

We are the Ones Song

2008-08-15T13:50:00.001-04:00

Hebrews 11 (Today's New International Version)

2008-08-15T11:18:00.005-04:00

I am sharing this passage today because my heart has been heavy lately with the feeling of helplessness for change in society. I could go on and on... the environment, human rights, health care, inflation, homelessness, diseases, inequality....I seem to be spending more and more time shaking my fists at society's ills and feeling more and more helpless about them.

When weak in spirit, I find strength in the Lord. God lead me to this chapter and God called upon me to share this with you.

Faith in Action
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: "He could not be found, because God had taken him away." [a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she [b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." [c] 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

23 By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. [d]

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; [e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Footnotes:

a. Hebrews 11:5 Gen. 5:24
b. Hebrews 11:11 Or By faith Abraham, even though he was too old to have children—and Sarah herself was not able to conceive—was enabled to become a father because he
c. Hebrews 11:18 Gen. 21:12
d. Hebrews 11:31 Or unbelieving
e. Hebrews 11:37 Some early manuscripts stoning; they were put to the test;

To hear this passage click here.

Hope's First Birthday

2008-08-14T22:27:00.002-04:00

I know I have not blogged in a while but so many people have been asking to see the pictures from Hope's first birthday. I cannot believe she is 15 months already!

Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner

2008-05-26T12:56:00.000-04:00

Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner

Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons (or more) liquid soap
2 teaspoons tea tree essential oil
1 teaspoon peppermint essential oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional)

Blending Procedure:
1. Measure the baking soda into a bowl with a tight fitting lid.

2. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of liquid soap

3. Mix well to create a paste-like consistency. If you need more liquid soap to do this, add it a little at a time until the mixture is like a paste -- pliable but not soggy.

4.Once you have a consistency you feel like you can work with, add the essential oils and optional vinegar and mix well again.

5.To use, scoop out a little of the cleanser and use a sponge or other cleaning tool to gently scrub your tub, shower and sink surfaces.

A little goes a long way!

Frugal Credit Repair- Do it yourself!

2008-05-22T14:03:00.007-04:00

I often hear, "my credit is horrible; I have no money and don't know where to start." Here I have listed a few steps to repairing credit:

Obtain your three credit reports. Legally, you may request all three once a year for free by requesting them from http://www.annualcreditreport.com.

If you have been turned down for credit due to reporting from a credit bureau, you can send a copy of the denial letter to the credit reporting agency with a request for a free credit report. The are obligated to send it to you for free.

BEWARE: Many "free credit report or free credit score" sites require you to sign up for services (sometimes upward of $300) to receive your free report.

Review the reports and locate the negative items. Dispute all negative items with the credit bureaus. Even the ones you believe you owe. Most items will have had interest upon interest complied. Are you sure you agreed to all of the fees and interest? If you did, they should be able to verify it.

Disputed items will be removed or corrected. Items that cannot be re-verified must be removed. Negotiate with creditors and collection companies ONLY if your debt is far from the date that it would automatically drop off of your credit. In most cases this is 7 years. The drop off date will be listed on the report. If you contact them say a few months from the drop off date the can list that as the new date, restarting the 7 years.

After negotiating and making payments, creditors delete the negative accounts or change them to a positive rating. Most creditors or collectors will say anything to you over the phone to get that payment. I suggest you ask them to send you a new agreement -in writing- that states after x number of payments your account will be considered "in good standing" and reflect the new positive information on your credit report(s) BEFORE sending in your payment.

State the item you are disputing, but do not use dispute forms or file numbers provided by the bureau. Do not do the work for them, they are required to re-verify or send proof of the validity of the debt. Do not confirm the account if any information about the item is wrong- if your account number was 12345 and they report it as 12435 - that is wrong, do not correct them.

Send disputes during busy times of the year. For Example: The first to middle of November can cause a delay in verification because of Thanksgiving. Christmas rush for the creditor and the bureau can catch them before they can thoroughly investigate within a reasonable time. This will cause the creditor to miss the verification deadline.

You can go to here for a great reference for Credit Repair Letters and Telephone Tips and Techniques including:

General Dispute To Collection Agency
Dispute of Collections
Dispute to Collection Agency
Negotiating a Settlement
Negotiating a Settlement with Utility Companies
Settlement to Creditors
Dispute Related To "Trans Alert" And Soc. Sec. Number
After No Response from a Credit Bureau
Disputing Specific Items and Inquiries
Request Reinvestigation of Items that are Still Showing on Report
Answer Letter to Credit Bureau's Request for More Information
How to speak with the Credit Bureau's Representatives

This is what I am doing to repair my credit to obtain a home loan. My employer will give me 105% for the mortgage, however my credit must be considered good if not excellent. I will be chronicling my credit repair journey. Once my husband and I are considered in good standing, we have resolved to the house being our only only form of debit. The only exception is that we would like to have two credit cards (one in each of our names) for car sharing use only. The car share company that we use requires a credit card (not debit card) on file. We have set up a separate saving account for emergency use.

My tips for frugality when making purchases...

2008-05-19T14:51:00.000-04:00

My tips for frugality when making purchases...

Make a list of what you/your family consumes.
Divide that list into wants and needs.
If your wants outnumber your needs, it's time to reprioritize.
Learn how often you go through the products/items.
Learn your prices.
Comparison shop; Don't be afraid to shop online.
Most companies will send you online coupons or mail you coupons if you contact them or join their (e)mailing list.
Learn when the products/items you buy go on sale, save coupons for those items and stock up.

Things to consider

Can you get this item free somehow? Craigslist, freecycle, church/place of worship?

Could you buy it gently used from a thrift store, flea market, yard sale, rummage sale, online local resellers group, Craigslist, Freecycle, church/place of worship?

Can you use an alternative currency for this purchase? (barter of services, goods, online points/rewards)

Keep in mind that cheap does not necessarily equal frugal.
Compare quality and longevity of items/products purchase to price.

Reuse

2008-05-19T12:55:00.002-04:00

Reuse is using an item more than once. This includes conventional reuse where the item is used again for the same function, and new-life reuse where it is used for a new function.

Reusing items not only helps the environment but it also helps your pockets! I have always been interested in reusing. I credit this to my mother. She keeps everything in hopes of one day using it for some other purpose. My challenge is balancing reusing with having too much clutter because of keeping items that I may someday turn into something else.

In the coming weeks, I will be cataloging products and items that my household uses. My intention is to see where I can reuse items and where I should give away or recycle.

"Reuse." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Apr 2008, 21:56 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 24 Apr 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reuse&oldid=207708914

Taking a look at choices

2008-05-19T12:54:00.001-04:00

Having spent many hours in contemplation, I have come to realize that life is about choices.

Whenever I begin to speak about choices I often hear, "I did not choose for my loved one to die, etc." To this I say, yes that was not your choice but please understand; There are many obstacles thrown in our way but we also create many of our own by the choices that we make.

Taking responsibility for how your life "turned out" is often difficult. It's hard to look at the raw truth but it is something that must be done. If we can take an honest look at ourselves we can find a patchwork of choices made. The good, the bad - it is all interwoven in our minds.

"....I wish xyz would have happened... or if only I had done abc I would not be in the (spiritual, financial, medical, emotional, physical...) position that I am in today... if I...." STOP

We cannot change the past but we can learn from it. Let's start taking deliberate steps to empower ourselves to make the most appropriate and fruitful choices for ourselves and our families. Let's peel the scab off and really look.

How to you stay on the frugality wagon?

2008-05-19T12:52:00.000-04:00

How to you stay on the frugality wagon? This is a question someone asked in a frugal group that I belong to; what would your response be?

My response:

The root of my frugality runs deep LOL! My parents have always been frugal -too tight at times BUT I learned early on waste management, reusing, re-purposing, thrifty shopping, saving etc. Money and time are big motivators for me. The more money I don't have to spend the more time I can spend enjoying my family. I try to make a game out of it too! I love a challenge. And I get a saving high LOL

I have found that the less I need to consume the more I can have of what I want. I want to spend time with and travel with my family, learning about life and

cultures across the globe. I want to enjoy unprocessed natural foods preferably grown from my own hands. If I am frugal with spending and efficient in earning
in both traditional and alternative methods, I can enjoy any lifestyle that I choose. I stay motivated by constantly reaping my rewards.

Priorities

2008-05-19T12:51:00.000-04:00

Are you concerned about the economic and agricultural state of the US? So am I. Some say Americans are headed for severe economic hardship. Others

are focusing on the prospect of famine. Most, if not all, I have talked to recommend the stockpiling of food, water, medical supplies, hygiene items, weapons,

non-electric dependent appliances and heating and cooking devices.

All of which I think is a great idea. I believe it would be neglectful of me as a wife and mother not to prepare my household at all times. There is always

crisis at the ready -global, national, regional, local and personal.

How you plan, prepare and prioritize is key. I have been dedicating a lot of time in prayerful meditation contemplating and seeking the Wisdom and Guidance

of God to change my will and desires away from consumeristic ideals.

I challenge you to delve into your heart. What is a need? What is a want?

Clothing

2008-05-19T12:36:00.000-04:00

I remember being in the 6th or 7th grade endlessly begging my mother to buy me a specific name brand shirt. All the popular girls in my school wore them. My mom went out and bought the same style shirt but not a name brand.

She gave it to me on Christmas and selfishly, I cried and cried. When I explained to her about the brand name and how important it was to me, she said that she never saw the need for name brands. She felt as though you were paying more for an item with someones name on it. They should be paying you for being a walking advertisement, she said.

After much arguing, I finally wore the shirt to school. In 2nd period some popular girls encircled me and lifted my hair to see if my shirt was "real". When they saw that there was no logo they laughed and laughed.

I remember being mortified. I never told my mom, but the incident has stuck in my mind to this day. While my budget never afforded name brand or what I consider now luxury brand items, I spent many years squandering my earnings on name brand cosmetics, clothing, shoes and accessories.

Now, I look back at my designer shopping and brand envy days and regret every minute. When I see sports and other stars gaining riches off being "walking advertisements" the appreciation for my mother's words has come full circle.

Now I have a daughter. As she grows I will try to instill the values my mother tried to instill in me. Will she be strong enough to hang on to those values if she is humiliated, as I was? Will I? Time will tell.

I still get a twinge of designer envy now and then but I center myself by focusing on value and quality. Hey, if I get a GREAT deal on a QUALITY designer product - great. If not, OH WELL!