I will cast all my Cares upon You

© Monika Hardy

1894 Agicultural Almanac

1894 Agricultural Almanac

A Thanksgiving Hymn
"Have you cut the wheat in the blowing fields,

The barley, the oats and rye,

The golden corn and the pearly rice?

For the winter days are nigh."

"We have reaped them all from shore to shore,

And the grain is safe on the threshing floor."
"Have you gathered the berries from the vine

And the fruits from the orchard trees,

The dew and the scent from the roses and thyme

In the hive of the honey-bees?"

"The peach and the plum and the apple are ours,

And the honey-comb from the scented flowers."
"The wealth of the snowy cotton-field

And the gift of the sugar-cane,

The savory herb and nourishing root -

There has nothing been given in vain,

We have gathered the harvest from shore to shore,

And the measure is full and running o’er."

Then lift up the head with a song!

And lift up the hands with a gift!

To the ancient giver of all

The spirit of gratitude lift!

For the joy and promise of Spring,

For the hay and clover sweet,

The barley, the rye, and the oats,

The rice and the corn and the wheat,

The cotton and sugar and fruit,

The flowers and the fine honeycomb,

The country, so fair and so free,

The blessing and the glory of home,

"Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!"

Joyfully, gratefully call,

"To God, the preserver of men,

"The bountiful Father of all."

© Monika Hardy

The praying man

Not that I speak in respect of want:

for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,

therewith to be content.

Philippians 4:11

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to the which also ye are called in one body;

and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:15

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:

it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

be thankful unto him,

and bless his name.
For the LORD is good;

his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 100

No matter the sadness or situation that may loom about,

a thankful heart can raise the voice of praise

and cloud the thoughts of doubt.

Mercy that is forever, and Truth that is eternal

which brings songs of thankfulness for our God

in the believers heart... one and all!

A November Recipe...

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Fall Giveaway...

By the way....Blessed Femina has a lovely fall apron giveaway,

and you might want to go take a look and enter the give away!

© Monika Hardy

On being Thankful

As this month of November begins, a National Holiday of Thanksgiving will be upon us quickly. An attitude of gratitude is a matter of the heart, everyday of the year.

What is the origin of America's annual Thanksgiving Day?

"The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends. While this was not the first Thanksgiving in America (thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607), it was America's first Thanksgiving Festival."

PRESIDENTIAL THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATIONS

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor"

The Pilgrims made a very long journey in miserable conditions to flee religious persecution and find a land where they could worship God freely. Even though the trip was miserable and they didn't have much when they arrived on the chores of North America they were grateful.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" --

William A Ward

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:15

© Monika Hardy

Allergic to soaps?

All right! I have to admit it! I am slightly, mildly, nay, obsessivley addicted to Biokleen products. No, I am not getting any income from this post, I am merely sharing the wonders of cleaning products that don't make me sneeze, or itch, or stop my breathing! No breathing is not over rated, it is a must. With germs of all kinds beginnning to multiply in the Fall and winter months, I used to wipe everything down with bleach and spray Lysol to kill all those invisible germs. However, about 5 years ago I developed allergies to chemicals.
What was I going to do with out BLEACH!
Well, Biokleen and enzymes to the rescue! Biokleen is a line of products that uses enzymes to do the "dirty"work and not only kill, but "eat" those germs. Caring for an Alzheimers patient in the home brings some unfavorable messes and odors into the home, as well as germs that cannot always be tracked as the patient forgets where things are supposed to go.
I've used the Biokleen washing detergent now for a few years, and love the fresh clean smell of odor free clothing, free from perfumes or any odors. Bac-Out is a spray that I can spray on the carpeting or any other fabric in the home without chemicals that cause allergic reations. It also works great on stains...any stain. Just spray it on, and let the enzymes "eat" through the stain. Bac-out also works great on tuogh odors in the laundry.
Biokleen also has a line of dishwashing soap that smells great, from unscented to lemon-thyme, to grapefruit! Best of all my hands do not itch after doing the dishes! If you have any difficulties using other soaps and detergents, give Biokleen a try, I know I'm happy I tried it!
BIOKLEEN
© Monika Hardy

Today in History...

1738 -
English founder of Methodism John Wesley explained in a letter:
'By a "Christian," I mean one who so believes in Christ as that sin hath no more dominion over him.'

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:3-6


But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1John 1:7


For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14

© Monika Hardy

Frugal Friday...

I've been busy caring for mum, and canning pears, and playing with those cute little granddaughters, and preparing to share the gospel with little ones, but here is a link us frugal folk might enjoy, as well as an added recipe with NO sugar and yet CHOCOLATE!
To the Frugal Friday Blog....
© Monika Hardy

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been asked for the recipe a number of times, so I thought the easiest way to get it out to all is to type it up here and share it with you all.
There are many Chicken Tortilla soup recipe variations. This is a simple one that can be made for a crowd. Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup

Place the following ingredients in a large crock pot
stir and let heat.

2 cups Chicken broth
2 cup cooked chicken cut in small pieces
2 cans Black Beans
1 Can Refried Beans
2 cans corn
1 can roasted green chiles
1 jar salsa
1 half packet Mexican Taco seasoning

just before serving stir into crock pot the following ingredients
5 cups crshed corn chips
1 cup shredded chedder cheese
Serve in bowls topped with
(optional but tasty... more corn chips, sour cream and cheese)



© Monika Hardy

At the Cross

At the Cross
Isaac Watts, pub.1707

Alas! and did my Savior bleed

And did my Sov’reign die?

Would He devote that sacred head

For such a worm as I?

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

And the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—

And bathed in its own blood—

While the firm mark of wrath divine,

His soul in anguish stood.

Was it for crimes that I had done

He groaned upon the tree?

Amazing pity! grace unknown!

And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide

And shut his glories in,

When Christ,the mighty Maker died,

For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face

While His dear cross appears,

Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,

And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay

The debt of love I owe:

Here, Lord, I give myself away,

’Tis all that I can do.

© Monika Hardy

She works willingly with her hands

...she worketh willing with her hands. Proverbs 31:13b

I posted some pics of my canning results the other day, and received an email with photos from a friend whose mom did the same thing. I asked if I could share these photos with the readers of my blog, and she thought mom would be tickled pink!

My friend mentioned that when her mom is finished a portion of the canning she will put them all out on the table and enjoy them for awhile. I just love to so the same.

I put them on the table and after I am sure they are sealed I take the time to take off the caps and wash the jar and screw on cap, (not the seal) with hot sudsy water to avoid any change of germs growing as they jars are stored. Then I sit bakc and enjoy the view. I am so glad these photos were shared with me so I could share them with you! Just look at all those pickles, jams, salsas and freezer goods from their garden!

I see the guard cat has the best seat in the house, but unfortunately has fallen asleep on duty :)

© Monika Hardy

Christians are like Pumpkins

This was sent to me via email from a friend. I have seen it in years past,

but still think it is worth sharing with you all you "Pumpkins"

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin.

God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.

He opens you up, and scoops out all the yucky stuff--

including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc.

Then He carves you a new smiling face

and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

This was passed on to me from another pumpkin.

Now, it is your turn to pass it to a pumpkin.

Happy Autumn and God Bless You~ ~ ~

© Monika Hardy

Cheese Experiment #1

My oh my!
I was cleaning out the fridge a while back and happened to notice that the cheese I put away for storage
had now aged a full six months!

I took a break from cleaning and made a pot of tea, and sliced into the cheese.

This particular cheese was made with raw milk, and a maple yoguhrt starter.

I was so thankful that I had made the tea ahead of time and had something to drink quickly after I tried the cheese!

I am one that does not particularly care for sharp cheese, or a very strong flavor, although there are exceptions like Limburger...I'm German, you gotta love Limburger.

The cheese I made tasted very sharp with a hint of blue cheese.

Sharp might have been alright, but I most certanily do not like blue cheese.

If I wanted mold I can grow some on the window sill not in my cheese!

For those of you who like blue cheese, you might have loved this cheese, but not I.

I have a few more wheels of cheese to try and will post my results when the wheels are fully aged for six months. At this point, I like the cheese best after allowing it to age for one week.
Aging for one week makes for a mild creamier cheese.

When all my experimenting is done, I will post all the pics and directions for cheese making on Frugality 101

Needless to say, I went back to cleaning the fridge.

© Monika Hardy

Harvest Time

To keep debt, dirt, and the devil out of my cottage has been my greatest wish ever since I set up housekeeping; and although the last of the three has sometimes got in by the door or the window, for the old serpent will wriggle through the smallest crack, yet thanks to a good wife, hard work, honesty, and scrubbing brushes, the two others have not crossed the threshold. CH Spurgeon

Autumn breezes were in full force the other day. A strech of the highway was closed due to a dust storm that brought visability down to less than 5 miles. I'd definitely say that the winds of change are upon us. This morning was a beautiful crisp Fall morning complete with a light frost on the pumpkins. Ok so the pumkins, and water melons and cantalope only grew to tennis ball size. we can live with that as it brought joy to Great grandma everytime she helped water them or sit out on the front porch while listening to her son play guitar and look at those pots on the porch with loads of tiny grape tomatoes and minature melons, it was worth it this year to have a container garden for just such moments as these.

It was nice to pick up some fruit at the local Farmers Markets and fruit stands to can some fresh peaches without high fructose corn syrup, and make some jam and preserves without a large amount of sugar. The fresh fruits and veggies have been great to juice as well, and makes it much easier to get your days allotment of them both.

The days will grow dark and dreary soon enough. The work put into putting up the bounty of harvest will help in the winter when gluten free, preservative free, high fructose corn syrup free items sky rocket in price when the snows hit! Due to allergies in many families such work is priceless as the American stores are filled with items that are so unhealthy and full of fillers.

Frugal shopping throughout the year will help you stock your pantry with much healthier products for the winter months ahead. Yes, we pray for our daily bread, and plan for the future. With Great grandma, it makes it difficult if not impossible to get out and go shopping when the weather gets so fierce, which makes planning ahead a necessity. It also makes for reserves when others are in need. What a pleasure it is to be able to share of what God has provided!

I suppose this may sound overkill or even perhaps foolish to the modern day American who can stop at the deli, hamburger joint, or coffee hut anytime they wish by starting up the car to pick up a meal or a snack or treat anytime they wish. Convienience costs dearly. However with a bit of planning one families budget can be stretched to help many others.

Fresh Peaches, Peach jam, Rasberry Peach jam, Plum Butter, are all great on oatmeal or yoguhrt in the winter, or Great Grandma loves any of them with her peanut butter.

The Jalepeno pepper jelly is great with lamb, or as an appetizer on a soda craker with cream cheese.

You can find links to plenty of Canning and Preserving recipes on the side bar of my other site...Frugality 101

I should get back to work now. Hope your Autumn is off to a great start, and that you are keeping your eyes on Jesus!

In His arms...

At the foot of the cross the child of God is oblivious to the darts of the enemy as the protecting arm of Jesus protects and holds us in His grip. And yet even in this humble position it is the tongue of the haughty and proud and hurtful heart that can still inflict injury.

Oh it is nothing that cannot be overcome, as His children overcome evil with good. It is however something that can stop a child of God from accomplishing what he ought, should he fall prey to the words that wound a soul deeply. Yet, should those tones fall upon your ear little one, continue on in the conversation you find yourself in with your Beloved Jesus, for the words from His heart will drown out all others if we let them.

© Monika Hardy

The pain of it all....

I've missed visiting with many of you and writing here lately as life has been busy with mom, but I am happy to report that tests results we were waiting on came back fine! She is doing fine and enjoying visiting with her "people" at the Alz Day Care. I went in on Monday to share the word of God and worship Jesus with them. I was the one who went away blessed. They all truly enjoyed hearing from God, and reading the Bible and singing and raising their hands in worship.

The next day I went in to have a tooth pulled, and ended up having major oral surgery and two teeth pulled. It was quite an ordeal that the Dentist does not want to go through again....I don't either I might add, but I have one more that needs to come out. You see, I had the German Measles when I was young about the time these molars were forming and they came in weak and it's a good thing to get all that mercury out of the mouth. However the last one is the oldest root canal I've had done and may be the most difficult. This week has been pretty painful, but it reminds me to pray for a few others I know that are going through much pain themselves.

God is good all the time and fills us with all that we need. I know friends were praying this week! God held me up. I am going to miss being at church tonight with the children though. At least I will be able to watch church online. Thank God for technology, and friends who care enough to pray for me.

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
II Corinthians 1:13-14

© Monika Hardy

Remembering...9-11

Remembering…

… that dreadful day in our Nation’s History, when people cried out in the terror of the destruction of the Twin Towers and the death of so many individuals.
…watching the news reports over and over with my son, after my husband called to ask if I had heard the news, watching in disbelief that someone would actually commit such a horrendous act.
…that day when many cried out asking, “Where was God when all this happened?”
…that churches were filled that next Sunday with people looking for answers
…that churches were back to their normal level of visitors a few weeks after the planes rammed the towers.
…sharing with many the love of Jesus Christ because fear gripped their hearts.


Thankfully I know my God and He knows me!
I know that God was, is and always will be on the throne and in control!
I know that He loves me, and has made a way for me to go to heaven to live with Him forever! Jesus is that way, the only way to the Father.

I offer Jesus to you now….
…You who are searching for answers to life’s questions

…You who cannot make sense of the ugliness around you.
…You who are lonely and cannot fathom living another day alone
…You who are riddled with guilt over the things in your past
…You who have come to realize the need for a Savior…your need for Jesus!

Remember…these are God’s words and we are to live by them…

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

1John 4:15
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 10:39
Just bow your head and talk to and listen to God while you pray and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and draw you close to His heart as your read the Bible and come to know the heigth and breadth and depth and width of the love God has for you!

Then when you suffer by doing the will of God while you wait for Jesus return, in the service of Jesus Christ…

REMEMBER…
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1Peter 4:19
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Lamentations 3:24

© Monika Hardy

Spiced Plum Butter

Simmering on the stove today...

Spiced Plum Butter

Wash and Pit

3 quarts Italitan Purple Plums

Place in Deep stock pot

add 3 cups water

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 cups sugar

1 cup Brown sugar

2 tablespoons Cinnamon

Simmer gently mashing as fruit softens

Remove from stove and pour butter through a strainer to remove peelings

Put Butter back on stove

Cook down to desired consistency, will thicken

OR add Pomonas Universal Pection according to directions on package.

Place in hot, sterile pint size canning jars

(jars can be kept warm in dishwasher, wash them just before making Jam)

Tighten lids and store upside down till Plumb Butter cools

Place right side up and tighten lids again

Let stand overnight

If seal does not seal tight store in fridge

If all have sealed will keep for up to one year in pantry

© Monika Hardy

Good Morning!

A good September fall like morning to you all! The cooler weather has finally arrived here and with it a glorious day! God is so good to bring relief. I am still praying for those in California suffering in the heat and flames. My sister and her family live in San Bernadino County and the heat and flames and smoke and ashes are all around them. Please help me and pray for them and all those suffering in this fire season. My niece who will be starting first grade this year is asking that we pray for rain, and to ask God to keep them safe. Lord please have mercy!

© Monika Hardy

Farmers Market

It was a cool morning as I sneaked out the front door and went to the local Farmer's Market. I was hoping to find some good deals by getting there early, and I did!

I found the most beautiful huge heads of red tipped butter lettuce, all organic. Along with the lettuce I found some gorgeous carrots, a gallon of local raw honey, a rosemary plant, a basil plant, and 1 quart of huckleberries! If you read my huckleberry picking excursion during last year's wedding anniversary, you will know why I bought them this year.

The morning was fresh and clean and cool and it was nice to visit with some friends who were at the market as well. I had to call my mom and let her know what I found and how nice it was to go to the "Markt" as we did in Germany. There was music, and many hand crafted items as well.

I'm off now to prepare for tonight's meal.

Rosemary chicken

Honey glazed carrots

Fresh garden salad

Huckleberry sauce over vanilla ice cream

© Monika Hardy