Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014

A New Year for God's Sweet Goodness!

2013 was awesome, and 2014 will surely be even better!

well... 2013 was mostly awesome. Let us recap.

 

2013 was a pretty huge year for me and my family, but then again, aren't they all? 2013 was the one year anniversary of a surgery that changed my brother's life and all of the struggles that came with that. And of course, our wedding and honeymoon. Our first married Thanksgiving and Christmas, and now our first New Years. Add  the adventure of beginning the process of opening an in-home daycare, and you have a pretty full year.  Soooo many firsts!

We are spending our New Years Eve resting, enjoying each others' company, and watching football. We had planned on attending a party with some very awesome friends, but since I had been sick we decided not to.

I cannot even list all of the wonderful times my sweet hubby and I have had in 2013! I must say, it has been a great year. However, I would not say that is has been an easy year. I am trusting that God will continue to lead and guide us in all the decisions we are faced with. I hope that 2014 finds you happy, healthy, and spiritually hungry and seeking God!

Happy New Year!

Life DOES Come with an Instruction Manual

Always Read the Instructions 

(Unless you are a man; men are incapable of reading instructions... ok, just kidding but you ladies understand that stab)

I have heard people say "Life does not come with an instruction manual" or "Children do not come with directions" so many times in my life. Prior to this weekend, where I attended The Art of Homemaking Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, I never thought too much of these statements. From now on, I will tell people life DOES come with an instruction manual, we simply forget or choose not to read it.

Let me back up a bit. Yes, I am a house wife. I have a degree and I could get a job to help my husband with finances, and to be honest there are months when I consider it. But, I have reasons as to why I stay at home. It was not a decision that I made with haste, or alone. Though my reasons seem to confuse our independent and materialistic generation, I wholeheartedly believe that we have made the best choice for our family. Maybe it is not the best choice for yours, or perhaps it would be. 

"Think of the things you could afford to do if you both worked."

I assure you we are aware of the things that we do not always get to do due to being on one income. We do not need reminding. We believe in building a home first, and family second. Now, I realize that is no longer the norm. I do not care what is 'normal'. I am a housewife now, so that I can be a stay-at-home mom later. It is much easier to adjust to one income now, than it would be when we are adjusting to being new parents. I believe that faith-based parenting is how children should be reared. Lucky for us, the bible has a nice, clear outline on how this should be done. A lot of parents work very hard to provide for their families; and that is absolutely fine. Some moms HAVE to work. We all have different circumstances. But my question is are you working to feed your children or to buy a designer couch or trip to the Bahamas? Those things are all fine in themselves; God is not against us having luxuries. But are our luxuries a priority? Does that second job provide for your family or for you entertainment? For us, it was the latter. As Nation we need to reevaluate our priorities.

The Art of Homemaking

Last weekend, I learned that there is guidance in the bible for any circumstance we could imagine. I was blessed to attend a conference that focused on being a Godly woman, wife, and mother. Yes, in 2013. How awesome is that? I was so happy with what I learned, and now I know I have SO much work to do to be who God needs me to be! Proverbs 31 carefully and thoroughly tells us women how to be good wives and women after God's own heart. Everything we need to do is broken down into simple ideas and concepts. We just choose to not read the directions. Our society has created a new set of instructions for women which is fueled by feminism and selfishness and driven by monetary concerns. God's instruction set for women is fueled by submission and selflessness and drive by glory for God. Which sounds better to you? I am still studying Proverbs 31, so I do not feel equipped to break it down for you all in the way it deserves to be, but here is a site that does a wonderful job. Please check it out!

The Hospital Forgot to Send us Home with a Instruction Manual

As you know, Russell and I do not have any children yet, so we often wonder how we will do as parents. Parenting is a BIG job! I can not even teach my dog to not bark at the neighbors, how will I possibly teach a child how to become a Godly adult? I was so surprised and relieved to see how many verses in the Bible clearly state how God intends for Children to be reared. Here is a recap on my favorite lesson this weekend:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.⁶ “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

It is SO simple when you break it down. We need to love God truly and completely, and we need to teach our children to do the same. We should teach them in our homes, "when you sit in your house". We should teach them by how we live when we are out and about in the world, "when you walk by the way,".  And we should teach them REPEATEDLY; each day should begin and end by giving Glory to an Amazing God, "when you lie down, and when you rise up.".  That seems pretty reasonable to me! But God even takes it one step further. In verse 8 we are reminded that children need more than simply hearing of God. They need to "see" God in our lives, "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." Our homes need to be Godly places, visible to our family and outsiders, "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

Learning about this section of scripture brought great relief to my restless spirit. I love children and, God willing, hope to have some of my own someday. Knowing that these precious lives DO come with instructions made me feel so free. It makes sense, you know. Of course God would give us instruction for the most precious of gifts He sends us. Know what is even better? No where does it mention a "wrong way" of parenting. What the bible does mention over and over is LOVE and DEMONSTRATION. God wants his children to show each child how to love God and love others. I think those are reasonable demands. 

LOVE GOD. LOVE OTHERS.

There are many ways in which one could execute the lessons taught by this section of scripture and I would love to hear what you are doing. Someday I will share with you what Russell and I are doing. Today, I just want to leave you with one thought; whatever you are going through; God has most likely covered it in His word. Unfortunately, sometimes you actually have to read it to find it! 

Oh, and we saw the Duggars :) 

Have a Blessed day,

The Hunter's Wife

A Storm of Praise

A Storm of Praise: Because It is all I Have to Give

Have the circumstances of your life ever left you in a place where you could not decide if it was more appropriate to laugh or cry? Or perhaps all you could do was cry, but you are unsure if the tears are happy tears or tears of frustration? I think that is where I am at. Over the last year, one song has became a crutch for me. It has enabled me to lean on God so completely, that my own will has subsided to the far regions of my heart.

I Will Praise You in This Storm by Casting Crowns

"I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away..."

Let's flash back to April of 2012...

I had just started dating a handsome biologist named Russell, my Peace Corps preparations for Africa were coming along nicely, and a glistening cap and gown hung in the closet of my bedroom. Life was going even better than I had planned, and I had every reason to praise an amazing God. I was anticipating change, and ready for it!

Until God changed my life in a way that I never could have anticipated; a way that I certainly did not ask for. 

It all happened so fast. My life went from carefree, adventurous, and exciting to a fearful state of constant prayer.  In a week's time my life was forever changed. We learned that my older brother, Josh, was very, very sick and needed a risky operation to save his life. Josh had always been the healthy one. Unlike myself, he was rarely sick as a child so this was a surprise to us. He had been having some tummy issues so he decided to go get them checked out. By the grace of God the technician took the photo too high. His X Rays revealed a massive hole in his diaphragm and a chest cavity that was full of intestine. His heart and lungs were fighting for space and working so much harder than they should have been.  The doctors said he was born with it and it was a miracle that he was as healthy as he was. For 25 years my brother had lived with his insides jumbled around and without surgery he would die; his intestines would choke out his heart and crush his lungs.

I distinctively remember sitting anxiously at the Tech Ag Awards Banquet pleading silently with God. "He is my brother. He is a father. His children are just babies. He is only 25." I begged God all night to spare him. My best friend, Haylee, sat beside me all to aware of my worries. I had more than a million reasons why God needed to save Josh, but I also knew that God's reasons would always outweigh mine. The banquet should have been a happy time of fellowship; a time honoring accomplishments and a job well done. For me, there was nothing to celebrate; I was fighting every ounce of my being to not run out the door and straight to my family. Sweet laughter, friendly smiles, and the smell of smoked brisket and baked-beans surrounded me while my brother...my only brother... lay in a hospital bed surrounded by worried doctors and unanswered questions. What kind of a sister would eat brisket when her brother was so ill? I did not hear a word of the speeches that night. When the banquet ended visiting hours were over, and I felt like a failure of a sister.

Russell stayed up late with me that night to talk and calm my nerves. That was the moment I realized he was going to be there for me through this, and I was thankful. The day before the surgery, I took Russell over to meet Josh and Stephanie. I remember thinking, "If Josh does not make it, I need to know he met Russell." It was a short meeting, clouded with worry; but it was important to me.

Josh's surgery came and passed. It took longer than scheduled and he was left with a very impressive battle scar, but he was very much so alive. We all thanked God. He spent some time in the SICU healing, but everything went pretty well.

This is a few days after surgery. I could not make myself take a photo any sooner.

His incision a week after surgery

A lot has changed over the last year and a half. A lot of good things. My life has been filled with more joy than I could have ever imagined, yet there is a constant tug of sorrow that weighs on my heart. Josh's health has been one disappointment after another. He has permanent nerve damage caused from the massive incision that was made to save his life, and he is constantly fighting one sickness after another. It breaks our hearts to see him unable to fully enjoy these precious years with his children. Please do not get me wrong, I am so thankful for the blessings in my life; for my family and husband, for all the changed plans, for all of our amazing blessings. But I am still a little angry, and a little confused. Why has God chosen to not heal my brother? What could he possibly be waiting for? "Can't He hear our cries?"

 All too often my brother's smiles are hazy, cloaking pain he wishes he could hide better. His spunky attitude and courageous heart are fading, but he IS still smiling. We all know he is tired and we are too. We miss him, yet we dare not complain because we know we could have lost him.

Who am I to say that what God has done for us is not enough?

Does the fact that God has not chosen to answer my prayers in the way I would like make Him any less of a God? No. Not at all. Perhaps God has a plan for my family that I am not skilled to see. Nonetheless, I will continue to flood the gates of Heaven with prayer after prayer after prayer.

I know God will grant complete healing to my brother and my family. I come to Him with expectations; but, also with the understanding that the healing will be in His time and His way. Until then, I will pray without ceasing and I will thank God for all He has done for us. I cannot offer the absolute, cheerful, light-hearted prayers that I once did; but I know God sees beauty in this storm of praise.

What about you? Do you have a battle that you feel God is taking too long to fight, or maybe God has blessed you with unanswered prayers? I just hope and pray that God will give us all the wisdom to see His blessings and to trust in His timing and will.  Now, to brighten your day.....

My perfect niece

My kind-hearted nephew

God Bless :)

The Hunter's Wife

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

Everyone Wants Clean Dishes

I cannot stand dirty dishes. I do not like them in the sink, or even sitting in the dish washer, really. It is like the sit there screaming, "look you have work to do." Because of this we go through a lot of dish detergent. I realized we were spending a substantial amount of money on dish detergent, and felt this was a little silly. The little capsules I was using cost about 9 dollars for a bag, and the bag only lasted a couple weeks. So, I started on a mission to find a recipe I could use to make my own dish detergent and I failed...over and over and over. I tried a few different recipes I found on the internet but nothing was working. I then realized it was due to the hardness of my water. I did a little research and constructed a mixture that I was confident in. It took four different batches to find what worked; it cleaned my dishes without leaving a filmy residue! FINALLY. Here is what I came up with:

What you'll need:

1. 2 cups Borax
2. 2 cups Super Washing Soda
3. 1/2 cup Salt without Iodine 
4. 2 packets LEMON Koolaid mix. Yes, it has to be lemon. 
5. 1/2 cup white vinegar as a rinsing agent each load

•  I choose to dump my Borax and washing soda into plastic containers because this keeps them from clumping up since I keep mine under the sink and it occasionally gets steamy down there when the dish washer is running. You could certainly leave them in the box they come in.

Mix the borax, washing soda, salt, and koolaid pouches thoroughly and store in a container that seals tightly. Do not add the vinegar directly to this mixture; all you will get is a replica of your 4th grade science project, and your dishes will still be dirty! 

Use 1 tablespoon of powder per load of dishes. You can put the powder in the detergent compartment of your machine. Use plain vinegar to fill the rinse-agent compartment of your machine and TA-DA! You are good to go! Now, if your machine is like mine and the compartments only open when they feel like it (or never) just dump the scoop anywhere in the washer and pour the vinegar into a right-side-up cup on the top rack. Just remember to dump the water out of that cup before you start unloading, otherwise you will dump it all over your floor when you go to put it up (this happens to me about once a week, so don't feel too bad when it happens to you).

If you try this recipe and it does not work well, it most likely means that your water is harder or softer than mine. Try adding an additional pack of Koolaid if you see a white film on glasses. The citric acid in the Koolaid will prevent any kind of build up. If you realize the dishes seem seem grimy or have left-over particles of food on them just add more salt. The coarseness of the salt is a natural scrubbing agent so it will help get any "yuck" off those dishes. I rinse my dishes well before loading them in the machine; so, I cannot speak of how well this works on dishes that are not previously rinsed. This is the ratio that works best for MY machine, yours could very well be different. To my knowledge these are the cheapest and most efficient components available. If you have other ideas, I would love to hear them!

Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you try it!

The Hunter's Wife

Cheap, Easy, Non-toxic Cleaning Goodness!

DIY Multi-Purpose Cleaner

It's tough on germs and grime, but gentle on your surfaces, pets, wallet and loved ones!

 

I came up with this mixture after looking through tons of Pinterest ideas, and not having all the ingredients needed for any of the recipes I found. So, I took what I did have and threw it together. Turns out, it works GREAT!

What you'll need:

1. Orange peels (You can add more peels to the mixture as you eat them, if needed)
2. Cloves, Allspice, or Cinnamon Sticks (Any of these or a combination will work)
3. White Vinegar
4. A jar or container with a well-fitting lid (Mason jars, peanut butter jars, jam jars, ect all work great)

What you'll do:

Combine your vinegar, peels, and spices into your jar and ....... Wait. Yes, you'll need to wait. This baby needs to sit and simmer so all of the cleaning goodness can get nice and potent. Give the jar a good shake every few days if you feel obligated to mess with it. I usually forget to shake mine. I let my first batch seep for a month. Now I just keep a batch or two seeping at all times so they are ready and waiting.

The peels will begin to turn brown when the solution is ready! See above picture for a batch that is ready and waiting for me to use.

At this point all you have to do is strain out the peels and spices and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle up with water. The amount of concentrate verses water will affect the strength of your solution. I use a standard sized spray bottle and a small pickle jar, and it works nicely.

The Finished Product

Do not forget to label your new cleaner! It is a safety hazard to have unlabeled solutions anywhere in your home, plus we all  forget what things are occasionally. You could even add the recipe or label its uses. Here is my finished product:

I have used this cleaner on everything from my kitchen counters to our hen boxes in the chicken coop. It even did a nice job on a very crusty oven after a slight mishap with a roasted chicken. The vinegar is antibacterial, the citrus has excellent cleaning powers and a fresh scent, and the spices add additional cleaning strength as well as a natural insect deterrent. This solution is completely non-toxic and it has a nice smell! What more could you ask for from a cleaning solution? If you are one who winces at the scent of vinegar, you'll want to add more orange peels and spices to your solution, but I personally think this smells great. Much better than bleach or chemical cleaners.

I hope ya'll enjoy!!! Let me know if you try it!

Let's Get this Started

Hello friends,

I have contemplated the idea of starting a blog for quite some time, but I always seem to convince myself otherwise. But today is the day! This blog is going to showcase what I believe will be a beautiful transformation; from adventurous college student to a loving, God-fearing wife.

My husband, Russell, and I were married on June 29, 2013. We quickly decided that we wanted to model our home after the biblical representations that we find through God's word and the example of our elders. It is our desire to grow together and we grow in our faith.

This blog will showcase my adventures as a homemaker. I plan on posting about budgeting, frugal living, healthy recipes, cleaning tips, and much more. I hope that you will tune in for an uplifting and encouraging blog to watch two young people try to live a life that has been nearly forgotten.