Hello my dear friends! I was a recent guest post author on Cheryl's Homespun Devotions. She asked her readers to write words of encouragement so I wrote a post called God Will Take Care of You. I do hope you will check it out and read the other stories that some of the other ladies wrote.
I plan Lord willing to write more Women of Faith posts and book reviews. A long as this COVID-19 crisis continues we might as well get some book reading in.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
I Just Don't Get Spammers
I guess I'm in a talkative mood right now so I apologize for my what appears to be rapid fire posts.
Like I said I don't get why spammers hit blogs that comments are moderated. I'm guessing they hit and run and don't notice their post didn't go through.
So far this month I've gotten spam from several people wanting me to click on some dumb link about finding my " hidden name meaning" as if I didn't know Regina means queen. There were a couple of ladies telling me how "Dr. Help Me Scam This Blogger " (okay not his real name) helped her with her marriage by giving her a spell to put on her husband and now her husband just adores her. Those ladies must think I was born yesterday! And some dude pretending he reads blog posts by mentioning the topic but in reality he a p*rn blogger who has hit a few of my friends unmoderated blogs and let's not forget the blank ATM card scam.
I'm thinking because the spammers are stuck at home they need something to occupy their bored little minds. Also I they are hitting faith based blogs for the "shock value".
So be on the lookout for more spam comments than usual.
Like I said I don't get why spammers hit blogs that comments are moderated. I'm guessing they hit and run and don't notice their post didn't go through.
So far this month I've gotten spam from several people wanting me to click on some dumb link about finding my " hidden name meaning" as if I didn't know Regina means queen. There were a couple of ladies telling me how "Dr. Help Me Scam This Blogger " (okay not his real name) helped her with her marriage by giving her a spell to put on her husband and now her husband just adores her. Those ladies must think I was born yesterday! And some dude pretending he reads blog posts by mentioning the topic but in reality he a p*rn blogger who has hit a few of my friends unmoderated blogs and let's not forget the blank ATM card scam.
I'm thinking because the spammers are stuck at home they need something to occupy their bored little minds. Also I they are hitting faith based blogs for the "shock value".
So be on the lookout for more spam comments than usual.
How to Survive Covid-19 Crisis Without Losing Your Mind
I originally wasn't going to post on this because most my other blogging family members already did but I figure why not?
Here are some things that came to my mind as of late.
1. I know you've been told to practice hand washing but all that hand washing can dry our skin so use a nice hand lotion to keep them nice and soft.
2. Paper towels are hard to find now so consider using hand towels to dry your hands. You can make cleaning rags out of old ripped towels or old t- shirts which makes a nice alternative to paper towels.
3. For napkins there are lots of YouTube videos on making cloth napkins including no sew ones. You can get some inexpensive fabric and cut them napkin size with pinking shears.
4. Most schools across the nation are temporarily closed so activities you can do to keep your children busy include baking, using printables from the internet, plant some seeds in the garden or if you don't have a garden, plant in pots. Scholastic.com is offering free online activities for grades Pre-K-6+.
5. Consider canning foods for longer storage. You can water bath foods like fruits, jams and jellies but foods like meats, soups and veggies must be pressure canned. If you try to water bath these foods COVID-19 will be the least of your problems. The Ball Blue Book is available on Amazon and is one of the best books on preserving food.
6. If you have babies that rely on store bought baby food, try making your own.
7. You may be in a place where are asked ( and in some areas told) to stay home and avoid crowds so perhaps take this time to learn a new craft. Amazon has many craft items like crochet hook and knitting needles, yarn, paper crafts, and more. Again YouTube has many videos to learn these activities.
8. If your library isn't closed pick up some books for yourself and your family or read unfinished or unread books from your personal library.
9. We come to the awkward issue of the shortage of toilet paper. I don't understand the craziness of that. I mean it's not like people are going to get bored at home and go toilet papering homes.
If you do happen to have any I would suggest using less and ask your family members to do the same.
Toilet paper alternatives I've read around the internet have ranged from practical to downright bizarre.
Now a word of warning: Please, only flush toilet paper or flushable wipes. Plumbers will already have their work cut out for them because folks are flushing items they shouldn't flush.
Here is what I've seen online but I will leave out the weird stuff.
Disposable wipes. Though baby wipes are nice, unless you are very desperate let's leave the baby wipes for mamas with little ones. Opt for adult wipes instead.
Homemade cloth wipes. I know this sounds yucky but you can cut up t-shirts, soft towels or expensive fabric. Put used cloths in diaper pails or buckets with lids like empty Tidy Cat litter pails. Sprinkling baking soda and essential oils should hopefully cut down on the smell or you can use vinegar and water though I like that option better. And wash them often in hot water.
Bidets- I know nothing about them but they apparently are selling like hotcakes.
10. Buy only what you truly need. Don't buy cold medicine unless you are having cold symptoms. Leave those item for people who really need them. I think pain medicines would be better because probably many of people may be suffering from stress induced pain. I know I am.
11. Please get your COVID-19 information from reliable sources like Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov.
There is a lot of false information from the media in order to get higher ratings. And I might add reduce the amount of time reading about COVID-19. As I mentioned there is much falsehood that can cause much stress and anxiety.
Most of all dear friends in addition to those I mentioned remember to pray. God is still in control.
Pray especially before you go shopping. I don't mean just shopping that you get what you need but that customers are gracious. Please thank your cashier. They are under extreme stress because customers are mad they can't buy 5 packages of toilet paper. Okay maybe that was an exaggeration but you get the point.
This morning we needed to pick up a few things from Safeway and I was feeling really anxious about shopping. I normally look forward to shopping but I was just too anxious so I asked Tim to pray. By the time we arrived at the market I was much more relaxed. The shopping trip was quite pleasant and I found all I needed on my list. Except toilet paper.
Here are some things that came to my mind as of late.
1. I know you've been told to practice hand washing but all that hand washing can dry our skin so use a nice hand lotion to keep them nice and soft.
2. Paper towels are hard to find now so consider using hand towels to dry your hands. You can make cleaning rags out of old ripped towels or old t- shirts which makes a nice alternative to paper towels.
3. For napkins there are lots of YouTube videos on making cloth napkins including no sew ones. You can get some inexpensive fabric and cut them napkin size with pinking shears.
4. Most schools across the nation are temporarily closed so activities you can do to keep your children busy include baking, using printables from the internet, plant some seeds in the garden or if you don't have a garden, plant in pots. Scholastic.com is offering free online activities for grades Pre-K-6+.
5. Consider canning foods for longer storage. You can water bath foods like fruits, jams and jellies but foods like meats, soups and veggies must be pressure canned. If you try to water bath these foods COVID-19 will be the least of your problems. The Ball Blue Book is available on Amazon and is one of the best books on preserving food.
6. If you have babies that rely on store bought baby food, try making your own.
7. You may be in a place where are asked ( and in some areas told) to stay home and avoid crowds so perhaps take this time to learn a new craft. Amazon has many craft items like crochet hook and knitting needles, yarn, paper crafts, and more. Again YouTube has many videos to learn these activities.
8. If your library isn't closed pick up some books for yourself and your family or read unfinished or unread books from your personal library.
9. We come to the awkward issue of the shortage of toilet paper. I don't understand the craziness of that. I mean it's not like people are going to get bored at home and go toilet papering homes.
If you do happen to have any I would suggest using less and ask your family members to do the same.
Toilet paper alternatives I've read around the internet have ranged from practical to downright bizarre.
Now a word of warning: Please, only flush toilet paper or flushable wipes. Plumbers will already have their work cut out for them because folks are flushing items they shouldn't flush.
Here is what I've seen online but I will leave out the weird stuff.
Disposable wipes. Though baby wipes are nice, unless you are very desperate let's leave the baby wipes for mamas with little ones. Opt for adult wipes instead.
Homemade cloth wipes. I know this sounds yucky but you can cut up t-shirts, soft towels or expensive fabric. Put used cloths in diaper pails or buckets with lids like empty Tidy Cat litter pails. Sprinkling baking soda and essential oils should hopefully cut down on the smell or you can use vinegar and water though I like that option better. And wash them often in hot water.
Bidets- I know nothing about them but they apparently are selling like hotcakes.
10. Buy only what you truly need. Don't buy cold medicine unless you are having cold symptoms. Leave those item for people who really need them. I think pain medicines would be better because probably many of people may be suffering from stress induced pain. I know I am.
11. Please get your COVID-19 information from reliable sources like Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov.
There is a lot of false information from the media in order to get higher ratings. And I might add reduce the amount of time reading about COVID-19. As I mentioned there is much falsehood that can cause much stress and anxiety.
Most of all dear friends in addition to those I mentioned remember to pray. God is still in control.
Pray especially before you go shopping. I don't mean just shopping that you get what you need but that customers are gracious. Please thank your cashier. They are under extreme stress because customers are mad they can't buy 5 packages of toilet paper. Okay maybe that was an exaggeration but you get the point.
This morning we needed to pick up a few things from Safeway and I was feeling really anxious about shopping. I normally look forward to shopping but I was just too anxious so I asked Tim to pray. By the time we arrived at the market I was much more relaxed. The shopping trip was quite pleasant and I found all I needed on my list. Except toilet paper.
Women of Faith- Gladys King
Note- I apologize for my lack of posting lately in this series. My goal originally was to post daily but currently I'm dealing with family issues and staying calm with this whole COVID-19 crisis.
Gladys King ( March 17th 1934- February 10th 2008) had an incredible faith. She suffered many trials throughout her life but that didn't stop her from trusting God to see her through. She couldn't get to church on Sundays when her children were little so she instead would listen to church services on the radio( Los Angeles station KGFJ) both in the morning and evening. It was a joy to her and her children learned many gospels songs but gospel music was way better back then.
She was a nurse and loved watching medical shows on television and would complain about inaccurate medical procedures she would see.
She'd make sure her daughters had new Easter dresses on Easter and new shirts for her son even though they didn't get to go to church.
There would be occasions when she and her oldest daughter would butt heads over issues like scriptural basis for women being pastors, whether some televangelist were false teachers or not and whether to follow a recipe or just wing it.
She would tell her children that when you come across disagreeable people, just pray for them.
Gladys King passed on to her heavenly reward on February 10th 2008 from breast cancer. I miss my mother and wish she were here. I could sure use her godly wisdom right now.
Happy birthday in heaven Mama!
Gladys King ( March 17th 1934- February 10th 2008) had an incredible faith. She suffered many trials throughout her life but that didn't stop her from trusting God to see her through. She couldn't get to church on Sundays when her children were little so she instead would listen to church services on the radio( Los Angeles station KGFJ) both in the morning and evening. It was a joy to her and her children learned many gospels songs but gospel music was way better back then.
She was a nurse and loved watching medical shows on television and would complain about inaccurate medical procedures she would see.
She'd make sure her daughters had new Easter dresses on Easter and new shirts for her son even though they didn't get to go to church.
There would be occasions when she and her oldest daughter would butt heads over issues like scriptural basis for women being pastors, whether some televangelist were false teachers or not and whether to follow a recipe or just wing it.
She would tell her children that when you come across disagreeable people, just pray for them.
Gladys King passed on to her heavenly reward on February 10th 2008 from breast cancer. I miss my mother and wish she were here. I could sure use her godly wisdom right now.
Happy birthday in heaven Mama!
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Wome of Faith - Elisabeth Elliot
I think many of you may be familiar with Elisabeth Elliot (December 26th 1926- June 15th 2015). Her first husband Jim Elliot and four others were killed in 1956 by members of the Auca ( now called the Huaroni) tribe while trying to make missionary contact with them in Ecuador . There was a 2006 movie made about this tragic event called "The End of the Spear".
I didn't learn about Elisabeth Elliot until about two years before she passed away and I didn't know her husband was Jim Elliot.
What I find interesting about Elisabeth is she became a missionary to the tribe that killed her husband.
Elisabeth Elliot was more than just the wife of Jim Elliot. She was an author and speaker who spoke at many women's conferences . She had a radio show called Gateway to Joy which is still heard on some stations and she wasn't afraid to stand up for the gospel.
Elisabeth had her share of suffering. Not only did she lose her first husband but she lost her second husband Addison, to cancer. Dementia ultimately stole her brilliant mind during the last ten years of her life.
I'm not sure how many of her books are still in print, but many can be found on Amazon and Lifeway publishers.
I didn't learn about Elisabeth Elliot until about two years before she passed away and I didn't know her husband was Jim Elliot.
What I find interesting about Elisabeth is she became a missionary to the tribe that killed her husband.
Elisabeth Elliot was more than just the wife of Jim Elliot. She was an author and speaker who spoke at many women's conferences . She had a radio show called Gateway to Joy which is still heard on some stations and she wasn't afraid to stand up for the gospel.
Elisabeth had her share of suffering. Not only did she lose her first husband but she lost her second husband Addison, to cancer. Dementia ultimately stole her brilliant mind during the last ten years of her life.
I'm not sure how many of her books are still in print, but many can be found on Amazon and Lifeway publishers.
Women of Faith- Corrie ten Boom
Corrie ten Boom (April 15th 1892- April 15th 1983) was a shining example of forgiveness after suffering terrible loss of four family members at Nazi concentration camps. Honestly there is so much I want to write about this godly woman but it would take several posts.
She grew up in a Christian family who had a deep love for the Jewish people and saved many from the Nazi Holocaust. Corrie's book The Hiding Place chronicles their efforts and her imprisonment at the concentration camp.
The hiding place was a secret room in Carrie's bedroom behind a false wall that would hold six people.
Whenever there was a security sweep in the neighborhood someone would sound a buzzer to warn the refugees to get into the room as quickly as possible.
The entire ten Boom family was arrested on February 28th 1944 and sent to different concentration camps for helping the Jewish refugees.
While imprisoned at the Ravensbrück womens concentration camp Corrie and her sister Betsie(who became ill and died at the camp) held worship services at the end of the day. They had a Bible they used that had been smuggled in.
It was these worship services that helped Corrie keep the faith and hope in Christ. I wonder though if she had moments of doubt especially after knowing friends went to the gas chambers.
Through a clerical "error" Corrie was released in December 1944. A week later all the women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers. Ladies, Carrie's early released was not an "error" on God's part. He had special plans for her.
The remarkable thing is Corrie forgave the Nazis for all the hurt she and her family went through. That is hard to imagine because the Nazis were such evil people and so many people across all the concentration camps died.
Like I mentioned earlier there is so much I want to say about her. The thing you need to know is, she loved the Lord with all her heart and she wanted all to know the gift of salvation.
I would encourage you to read her biography The Hiding Place. It was required reading when I was in junior high and I plan on reading it again.
The hiding place was a secret room in Carrie's bedroom behind a false wall that would hold six people.
Whenever there was a security sweep in the neighborhood someone would sound a buzzer to warn the refugees to get into the room as quickly as possible.
The entire ten Boom family was arrested on February 28th 1944 and sent to different concentration camps for helping the Jewish refugees.
While imprisoned at the Ravensbrück womens concentration camp Corrie and her sister Betsie(who became ill and died at the camp) held worship services at the end of the day. They had a Bible they used that had been smuggled in.
It was these worship services that helped Corrie keep the faith and hope in Christ. I wonder though if she had moments of doubt especially after knowing friends went to the gas chambers.
Through a clerical "error" Corrie was released in December 1944. A week later all the women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers. Ladies, Carrie's early released was not an "error" on God's part. He had special plans for her.
The remarkable thing is Corrie forgave the Nazis for all the hurt she and her family went through. That is hard to imagine because the Nazis were such evil people and so many people across all the concentration camps died.
Like I mentioned earlier there is so much I want to say about her. The thing you need to know is, she loved the Lord with all her heart and she wanted all to know the gift of salvation.
I would encourage you to read her biography The Hiding Place. It was required reading when I was in junior high and I plan on reading it again.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Women of Faith -Fanny Crosby
Fanny Crosby ( March 24th 1820 - February 12th 1915) is one of my favorite hymn writers. She was blinded shortly after birth but that didn't stop her from writing more than 8,000 hymns and gospel songs.
Some things I read about her I wasn't aware of was she was married to man named Alexander van Alstyne who also was blind. They had a daughter named Frances who sadly died in her sleep soon after birth possibly of what we now know as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which inspired Fanny to write the hymn " Safe in the Arms of Jesus".
Fanny Crosby wrote many hymns that have touched my heart and encouraged me and I love when our church sings a Fanny Crosby song.
My absolute favorite that I actually found out this morning Fanny Crosby wrote is "Praise Him! Praise Him!". We were singing it this morning and I checked to see who the hymn writer was and saw her name.
Anyway if you have a hymnal in your home or if your church has hymnals, see how many songs there are by Fanny Crosby. I'm sure you will find many.
Some things I read about her I wasn't aware of was she was married to man named Alexander van Alstyne who also was blind. They had a daughter named Frances who sadly died in her sleep soon after birth possibly of what we now know as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which inspired Fanny to write the hymn " Safe in the Arms of Jesus".
Fanny Crosby wrote many hymns that have touched my heart and encouraged me and I love when our church sings a Fanny Crosby song.
My absolute favorite that I actually found out this morning Fanny Crosby wrote is "Praise Him! Praise Him!". We were singing it this morning and I checked to see who the hymn writer was and saw her name.
Anyway if you have a hymnal in your home or if your church has hymnals, see how many songs there are by Fanny Crosby. I'm sure you will find many.
Womens History Month- A Different Focus
March is Women's History Month but I'm not going to focus on the political reasons for Women's History Month because some of the political reasons I completely disagree with so instead my focus will be on Christian women who have made an impact on my life in one way or another. Some women are well known and others not as much and perhaps some of the women you might not have heard of at all.
So my plan throughout March is to write a post highlighting a different Christian woman. Some of these women will be before our time but I will also include women from more modern times.
With that being said my first post coming up next will be on hymn writer Fanny Crosby.
So my plan throughout March is to write a post highlighting a different Christian woman. Some of these women will be before our time but I will also include women from more modern times.
With that being said my first post coming up next will be on hymn writer Fanny Crosby.
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