While I'm brushing my teeth, I kick up my legs.
While I'm doing housework I jog from room to room.etc etc..
..whatever I can do while doing the necessary other things in life, I try to combine to moving more and moving faster
At the store I park far away which takes an extra 3 minutes each way = 6 minutes!
It all adds up... a little here, a little there...
Just like calories -
-a little here, a little there - added or subtracted
for weight gain or weight loss.
Like so many others, I'm motivated at this New Year's time to lose a few pounds!
Love to get your comments on how you keep healthier by moving/exercising, etc - especially if you do not naturally "love" to exercise!
I better sign off from sitting here, and take a nice little walk!
Happy Healthy New Year's to Everyone!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Joy in Mundane Housework
Housework is hard for me. Reading, writing, thinking plus connecting with people is what I love!
But surely to create a happier and healthier (lovely, orderly) living quarters is a holy and high calling.
If I do it as unto the LORD who is a God of order and beauty, and work at it with all my might as working for Him, it will become more fun. (those are Bible verses, but I don't have the references- chapter and book- memorized)
God has blessed me with a wonderful husband for 36 years. Though empty nesters now, I want to honor and bless him this way. He is patience and kindness personified and never complains about my being domestically challenged.
But a lovely environment is a form of self respect even for myself also I would think...
I am so thankful for Messies Anonymous and Sandra Felton - her books, etc plus free online community of support for people like me!
Plus I am listening to Scripture set to music while I work.
Happy- healthy --- and frugal living today!
I can find things we need better, avoid buying things, plus give un needed stuff to others so they too can be frugal.
Clutter here I come!!
But surely to create a happier and healthier (lovely, orderly) living quarters is a holy and high calling.
If I do it as unto the LORD who is a God of order and beauty, and work at it with all my might as working for Him, it will become more fun. (those are Bible verses, but I don't have the references- chapter and book- memorized)
God has blessed me with a wonderful husband for 36 years. Though empty nesters now, I want to honor and bless him this way. He is patience and kindness personified and never complains about my being domestically challenged.
But a lovely environment is a form of self respect even for myself also I would think...
I am so thankful for Messies Anonymous and Sandra Felton - her books, etc plus free online community of support for people like me!
Plus I am listening to Scripture set to music while I work.
Happy- healthy --- and frugal living today!
I can find things we need better, avoid buying things, plus give un needed stuff to others so they too can be frugal.
Clutter here I come!!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sleeping For Success
I heard of a new book entitled SLEEP FOR SUCCESS. It told how a girl was practicing her gymnastics early each morning and after school, several hours each day total. But she couldn't seem to improve.
A doctor told her to reduce the morning practice and instead get 2 extra hours of sleep. She did, and she quickly made progress and even earned impressive awards with her newly improved performance.
We Americans seem to have a hard time getting at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night.
I also heard of a book entitled GOOD BYE INSOMNIA that I want to read.
I've read that 8 hours of quality sleep boosts our immune system, our emotional well being, and our memory for starters!
Good night dear readers. Now I"m going to turn off this computer light here at 8pm and let my brain begin to shut down for some good shut eye!
A doctor told her to reduce the morning practice and instead get 2 extra hours of sleep. She did, and she quickly made progress and even earned impressive awards with her newly improved performance.
We Americans seem to have a hard time getting at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night.
I also heard of a book entitled GOOD BYE INSOMNIA that I want to read.
I've read that 8 hours of quality sleep boosts our immune system, our emotional well being, and our memory for starters!
Good night dear readers. Now I"m going to turn off this computer light here at 8pm and let my brain begin to shut down for some good shut eye!
Friday, December 24, 2010
What can keep God's blessings from us?
Matthew Henry in his Bible Commentary says
" God has blessings ready for us but we have not room to receive them due to
1. weakness of our faith
2. narrowness of our desires"
This was from Malachi 3:7-12.
You can google and read his complete book online for free.
I use Matthew Henry's Concise version, and have a hard copy of it. My wonderful son in law pointed it out to me at a church library give away event!
I had frugally been collecting his Complete Version volume by volume as I came across them at used bookstores.
But to acquire his complete commentary on the whole Bible, concise version, for free! Now that was a happy and frugal day!
" God has blessings ready for us but we have not room to receive them due to
1. weakness of our faith
2. narrowness of our desires"
This was from Malachi 3:7-12.
You can google and read his complete book online for free.
I use Matthew Henry's Concise version, and have a hard copy of it. My wonderful son in law pointed it out to me at a church library give away event!
I had frugally been collecting his Complete Version volume by volume as I came across them at used bookstores.
But to acquire his complete commentary on the whole Bible, concise version, for free! Now that was a happy and frugal day!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Beat those winter colds!
We seldom get colds.
The reason is we learned the hard way: hubby became allergic to most antibiotics over 30 years ago due to having so many of them to cure feverish serious sinus infections, etc.
So had no choice but to pray for a solution.
God answered when we met folks who used healtheir foods plus herbs. They had cured otherwise seemingly "incurable" conditions. We began reading everything we could and it has worked well for us for the past 30 years.
As long as we do the following, we get very few if any colds, etc
- avoid cows milk products since they lead to mucus in us.
Rice milk instead.
No white flour or white sugar - whole grains, honey, stevia or fructose instead .
No processed or junk foods.
Lots of fruits, veggies, beans, brown rice.
Enjoy a Sunday Day of Rest.
Take time to relax, unwind each day, and have fun!
Meat only a few times a week. (many studies show vegetarian have less cancer and heart disease. Some researchers feel weak immune systems contribute to cancer, and meat may weaken some immune systems)
At first sign of a cold, we grab a few capsules of one or a combo of the following herbs that boost the immune system, easily available at quality health food stores - even Walmart has some of them.
Perhaps the quality is better at health food stores compared to the Walmart brand, but Walmart echinacea has worked ok for us too.
--echinacea
- goldenseal
astralagas
elderberry -widely used to fight the flu even
I take about 2,000 mg of Ester C - vitamin C - most days, as a general preventive.
I take extra herbs and C if:
low on sleep,
have a stressful situation,
go near anyone who is sick,
changes of seasons when extra colds happen
around large crowds of people,
indulge in junk, processed, white sugar or flour.
"An ounce of prevention is STILL worth a pound of cure"
We got sick of being sick. We realized we would spend time and money at the doctor and pharmacy
OR we would spend time and money at the health food store and in the kitchen.
We have no regrets for our choice. We do have gratitude for answered prayers!
Though we have had great success with these choices for over about 30 years, we humbly acknowledge it is by God's grace that it is working for us. He could allow us to get sick for His own perfect reasons. He may have lessons we need to learn for our character for all eternity we can only learn via sickness. Eternity matters more than this brief earthly journey!
But even though there are no 100% guarantees we continue these habits to give ourselves the best possible chance to stay healthy.
The reason is we learned the hard way: hubby became allergic to most antibiotics over 30 years ago due to having so many of them to cure feverish serious sinus infections, etc.
So had no choice but to pray for a solution.
God answered when we met folks who used healtheir foods plus herbs. They had cured otherwise seemingly "incurable" conditions. We began reading everything we could and it has worked well for us for the past 30 years.
As long as we do the following, we get very few if any colds, etc
- avoid cows milk products since they lead to mucus in us.
Rice milk instead.
No white flour or white sugar - whole grains, honey, stevia or fructose instead .
No processed or junk foods.
Lots of fruits, veggies, beans, brown rice.
Enjoy a Sunday Day of Rest.
Take time to relax, unwind each day, and have fun!
Meat only a few times a week. (many studies show vegetarian have less cancer and heart disease. Some researchers feel weak immune systems contribute to cancer, and meat may weaken some immune systems)
At first sign of a cold, we grab a few capsules of one or a combo of the following herbs that boost the immune system, easily available at quality health food stores - even Walmart has some of them.
Perhaps the quality is better at health food stores compared to the Walmart brand, but Walmart echinacea has worked ok for us too.
--echinacea
- goldenseal
astralagas
elderberry -widely used to fight the flu even
I take about 2,000 mg of Ester C - vitamin C - most days, as a general preventive.
I take extra herbs and C if:
low on sleep,
have a stressful situation,
go near anyone who is sick,
changes of seasons when extra colds happen
around large crowds of people,
indulge in junk, processed, white sugar or flour.
"An ounce of prevention is STILL worth a pound of cure"
We got sick of being sick. We realized we would spend time and money at the doctor and pharmacy
OR we would spend time and money at the health food store and in the kitchen.
We have no regrets for our choice. We do have gratitude for answered prayers!
Though we have had great success with these choices for over about 30 years, we humbly acknowledge it is by God's grace that it is working for us. He could allow us to get sick for His own perfect reasons. He may have lessons we need to learn for our character for all eternity we can only learn via sickness. Eternity matters more than this brief earthly journey!
But even though there are no 100% guarantees we continue these habits to give ourselves the best possible chance to stay healthy.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Half an electric bill-actually less than half!
Yippe!! Our normal, average monthly electric bill is 200.00
But for mid Nov to Mid Dec it is 83.00!
My frugal ways paid off! Don't know if I can pull that off every month, but it's nice this time!
But for mid Nov to Mid Dec it is 83.00!
My frugal ways paid off! Don't know if I can pull that off every month, but it's nice this time!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Happy Holidays? Why are so many not?
Holidays are classic times for songs about joy and happiness. Yet, many people feel the opposite.
I have struggled with feeling discouraged and bummed out at times. It motivated me to make a serious study to the causes of such feelings - including the wide-spread depression especially this time of year!
I think one reason is the "expectations" we associate with Christmas.
The lower my expectations, the happier my holidays... Best advice I ever heard was to lower your expectations. Now lower them again. Now lower them real low...and I've had happier holidays doing that.
Reason is, when real-life happens at the holidays, such as food, gifts, decorations, budgets etc not being quite so Norman Rockwell perfect I'm not disappointed. I expected things to be very imperfect.
As a result, the few things that did go well, were happy surprises to me and causes for feelings of gratitude and contentment. Sure beats those former feelings of frustration and disappointments over what did not turn out the way I wanted.
More important than the above, are the personal relationships. Do we expect one day in the year to make up for an entire year long of strained relationships, especially in the family? When I see my goal to improve my feelings of connectedness to family and friends, all year long, and do not expect Christmas to cure such things, Christmas has become more enjoyable.
Surely the physical and mental stresses and exhaustion help bring on discouragement and sadness too this time of year. My goal is to take extra naps, eat healthy most of the time, and exercise even though it's harder right now. I squeeze in times of heart to heart chats with family and friends too - the best gifts of all! And how wonderful to know these stress-busters are gifts we can give ourselves all year long!
It occurred to me that the very first Christmas, could have been a time of financial stress, frustration, unwelcome surprises, unmet expectations, and loneliness for Mary and Joseph. So I guess that puts us in good company if we too experience those things.
Imagine we were forced to do something by the government that was very inconvenient, expensive, un comfortable etc, like they were forced to do.
Mary and Joseph arrived tired, and on the verge of giving birth no less! - in a strange city. Surely they felt disappointed at the lack of available rooms.
But God showed up for them in very unexpected ways -- beautiful music from the Angels to welcome them and their newborn Son for example.
I have a feeling God will show up for us too, if we but open our eyes and our hearts and let Him do it in His own mysterious, but perfect and often totally unpredictable, unexpected ways...
Joy to the world...happy holidays are possible!
I have struggled with feeling discouraged and bummed out at times. It motivated me to make a serious study to the causes of such feelings - including the wide-spread depression especially this time of year!
I think one reason is the "expectations" we associate with Christmas.
The lower my expectations, the happier my holidays... Best advice I ever heard was to lower your expectations. Now lower them again. Now lower them real low...and I've had happier holidays doing that.
Reason is, when real-life happens at the holidays, such as food, gifts, decorations, budgets etc not being quite so Norman Rockwell perfect I'm not disappointed. I expected things to be very imperfect.
As a result, the few things that did go well, were happy surprises to me and causes for feelings of gratitude and contentment. Sure beats those former feelings of frustration and disappointments over what did not turn out the way I wanted.
More important than the above, are the personal relationships. Do we expect one day in the year to make up for an entire year long of strained relationships, especially in the family? When I see my goal to improve my feelings of connectedness to family and friends, all year long, and do not expect Christmas to cure such things, Christmas has become more enjoyable.
Surely the physical and mental stresses and exhaustion help bring on discouragement and sadness too this time of year. My goal is to take extra naps, eat healthy most of the time, and exercise even though it's harder right now. I squeeze in times of heart to heart chats with family and friends too - the best gifts of all! And how wonderful to know these stress-busters are gifts we can give ourselves all year long!
It occurred to me that the very first Christmas, could have been a time of financial stress, frustration, unwelcome surprises, unmet expectations, and loneliness for Mary and Joseph. So I guess that puts us in good company if we too experience those things.
Imagine we were forced to do something by the government that was very inconvenient, expensive, un comfortable etc, like they were forced to do.
Mary and Joseph arrived tired, and on the verge of giving birth no less! - in a strange city. Surely they felt disappointed at the lack of available rooms.
But God showed up for them in very unexpected ways -- beautiful music from the Angels to welcome them and their newborn Son for example.
I have a feeling God will show up for us too, if we but open our eyes and our hearts and let Him do it in His own mysterious, but perfect and often totally unpredictable, unexpected ways...
Joy to the world...happy holidays are possible!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Stay warm for free!
A friend who grew up in a country where they have no central heating told me this trick:
Put super hot water into an empty 2 liter soda bottle.
Cover it with thick towels.
Put it at your feet or wherever you get cold.
Cover with blankets and stay cozy and warm for hours!
I may try that soon if this freezing weather continues.
I thought about using a heating pad until she told me her idea.
Heating pad uses a bit of electricity, but the above uses none - except to heat the hot water..so it's gotta be cheaper than the heating pad even!
Put super hot water into an empty 2 liter soda bottle.
Cover it with thick towels.
Put it at your feet or wherever you get cold.
Cover with blankets and stay cozy and warm for hours!
I may try that soon if this freezing weather continues.
I thought about using a heating pad until she told me her idea.
Heating pad uses a bit of electricity, but the above uses none - except to heat the hot water..so it's gotta be cheaper than the heating pad even!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
keeping warm frugally
Brr!! It's below freezing here the past few nights.
That's why I will never buy plants for the yard that are susceptible to freezing - too much trouble and risk of losing the money spent on them. There are plenty of hardier plants that will suit my purposes of a pleasant yard.
We're empty nesters so if you have kids, some of my ideas may need to be modified of course!
Last night slept in a room that stayed around 68 or a bit lower, with little electric usage, and felt very toasty and warm.
Moved to the family room which has a comfortable couch for sleeping.
It has 3 inside walls which provides great "insulation". Moved the couch several inches away from the window so it was away from that one outside wall and older, non efficient windows. (Weatherstripping and caulking are coming soon!)
I had used my nifty radiator style/oil filled space heater to take the chill off the room.
I also closed tightly all vents in the other rooms of the house, so when the central heat did come on a bit, it would quickly heat just this room - where the thermostat is- which is perfect!
This morning after a cold 27 degrees during the night outside, this room was 68 and the other rooms were 50! Mission accomplished.
Pput a thermal blanket as a bottom sheet and covered with one plus a soft thick bedspread. We also have a down comforter which may be used tonight.
I wore my knit hat since most heat is lost through the head. Double layer of socks, sweat pants and sweat shirt for pj's - here in FL I don't even own thick flannel pjs and I won't buy any. They would be more clutter and we seldom need them.
Kept a thermos of hot "sleepy time" tea near my bed for a few sips in the night too which was fun!
I will do my paper work etc here in this warm room today. May do some baking in the kitchen where the oven will warm that room! Goal is to not need that "kilowatt hog" central heat! Hubby can heat his office with another space heater as needed.
Time to warm my heart with an exciting time in my daily Bible Study! Using J Vernon McGee Thru the Bible in 5 Years, from the radio. About a paragraph a day. Love pulling out my Study Bibles, and using the notes, plus Matthew Henry Commentary. I've learned to write down all I'm learning so it sticks in my head and my heart much better. I try to do this before listening to his show - which also comes online at my convenience if I miss the radio time.
Heat up your tea or coffee and join me! We're in Malachi 1: 13-2:2 today.
The joy of the Lord is my strength! (Happy) My steaming green tea is waiting! (healthy)
Room continues to stay 68 with no electricity being used (frugal)
Warm Hugs
Patty
That's why I will never buy plants for the yard that are susceptible to freezing - too much trouble and risk of losing the money spent on them. There are plenty of hardier plants that will suit my purposes of a pleasant yard.
We're empty nesters so if you have kids, some of my ideas may need to be modified of course!
Last night slept in a room that stayed around 68 or a bit lower, with little electric usage, and felt very toasty and warm.
Moved to the family room which has a comfortable couch for sleeping.
It has 3 inside walls which provides great "insulation". Moved the couch several inches away from the window so it was away from that one outside wall and older, non efficient windows. (Weatherstripping and caulking are coming soon!)
I had used my nifty radiator style/oil filled space heater to take the chill off the room.
I also closed tightly all vents in the other rooms of the house, so when the central heat did come on a bit, it would quickly heat just this room - where the thermostat is- which is perfect!
This morning after a cold 27 degrees during the night outside, this room was 68 and the other rooms were 50! Mission accomplished.
Pput a thermal blanket as a bottom sheet and covered with one plus a soft thick bedspread. We also have a down comforter which may be used tonight.
I wore my knit hat since most heat is lost through the head. Double layer of socks, sweat pants and sweat shirt for pj's - here in FL I don't even own thick flannel pjs and I won't buy any. They would be more clutter and we seldom need them.
Kept a thermos of hot "sleepy time" tea near my bed for a few sips in the night too which was fun!
I will do my paper work etc here in this warm room today. May do some baking in the kitchen where the oven will warm that room! Goal is to not need that "kilowatt hog" central heat! Hubby can heat his office with another space heater as needed.
Time to warm my heart with an exciting time in my daily Bible Study! Using J Vernon McGee Thru the Bible in 5 Years, from the radio. About a paragraph a day. Love pulling out my Study Bibles, and using the notes, plus Matthew Henry Commentary. I've learned to write down all I'm learning so it sticks in my head and my heart much better. I try to do this before listening to his show - which also comes online at my convenience if I miss the radio time.
Heat up your tea or coffee and join me! We're in Malachi 1: 13-2:2 today.
The joy of the Lord is my strength! (Happy) My steaming green tea is waiting! (healthy)
Room continues to stay 68 with no electricity being used (frugal)
Warm Hugs
Patty
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