New Price Book

 

 

With the economy the way that it is, it has become necessary for me to use a price book once again.  When Amy Dacyzn began the Tightwad Gazette as a newsletter, I followed her in starting a price book and cutting corners wherever possible.  After a while, I had the prices of most things memorized and need my price book less frequently and eventually gave it up altogether.  Today, I made a new one.  As you can see from the photos above, the front section has a small calculator, a necessary evil for middle-aged brains like mine, and a pocket divider labeled "Today."  This pocket will hold the day's shopping list and any coupons I use.  The subsequent sections of the notebook are divided by category, much like a coupon holder would.  Each divider has a pocket for that category's coupons and each section holds a columned sheet for pricing.  I decided to make a separate page for items that I purchase on a regular basis, like milk.  Each sheet has the date purchased, the brand (if applicable), the store that the item where the item was purchased, the size (how many ounces, etc.), the unit price, the comparable generic price available at that store, if I had a coupon & the value of it, and the final price.  It may seem like a lot of work or too much (or too little) detail, but these are the questions that run through my brain when determining whether or not something is a good deal.  I think this or any other price book would be a good project for a lady in waiting or newly married.  If you have a price book, please comment below how yours is different, as I'm always open to new ideas.

Singles' Awareness Day

It's that time of year again when singles, young and old, bemoan the fact that they are indeed single.  It seems that every generation whines particularly about "all" their friends having someone.  Well, I've got news for you.  It doesn't stop when you find yourself in a relationship, because then it will be that "everyone" is getting married.  When you're married, you're suddenly the only one not having a baby yet.  It never stops.  There will always be someone else who is "better off" than you.  There will always be someone whose blog is better than yours.  Ladies, if we find ourselves impatient in any of these life stages, then our eyes are focused on the wrong thing.  Our eyes need to be on God who will provide everything we need to accomplish all that He calls us to do.  Although they can be very joyous indeed, none of these life events will make us content in and of themselves.  Our contentment should and in fact, can only come from God.  It is only through our enjoyment of Him can we ever be truly happy, satisfied, and fulfilled.  When that happens, it doesn't matter in what stage of life we find ourselves; we will be happy and that is a beautiful thing that brings glory to God.  Sure, getting married is the normative plan for God's children, but if you are not content right now, in this very moment with where God has placed you, then you will not be happy married either.  Let's search our hearts' attitudes toward God because that is with whom our complaint really is.  You trust God with your eternal life, why not with this earthly life?

~Philipians 4

Feminine Stance

Please visit our daughter's new blog, linked above. :)

Suitable Suitor

I'm mulling over a lot while working on reclaiming the upstairs study, and I would like some help from you. No, not with the work but with the "mulling" part. We've been putting a lot of thought into what constitutes a suitable suitor for a daughter. I'm not talking about your average "let's hang out at a movie or coffee shop date". I'm talking about a real suitor. Other than being a Christian and basic requirements such as that, I want something more concrete on paper. Lately, after listening to a message on CD, I've been giving a lot of thought to the idea that a man must have a vision for his life....a way in which he ministers to the body of Christ or the world...before he can ask a young lady to follow him. Agreeing to marriage, puts a young woman in a very vulnerable position; how can she be asked to follow or submit to someone who doesn't have a clue as to where they are going? Also, a suitor needs to be someone who can lead spiritually....not just someone who is spiritual, but someone who is knowledgeable and able to guide and lead his family without falling prey to heresies big or small. There is a lot more on my mind, but I want to know what's on your mind. I want to know what you think, so I can think about it as well. So, what are some of your thoughts as to what constitutes a suitable suitor?

I haven't posted much because I've been pouring over my new favorite blog. If you haven't visited this blog, it is well worth your time!

http://www.empoweredtraditionalist.com/

Like vs. Love

Below is a facebook note posted by an acquaintance of our daughter, Leland Dantzler. Hope you enjoy!

You say, "I love him/her!" I say, "No, you like him/her..."I've heard it before, you've heard it before; you might have even said it before: "I love my boyfriend." Or, "If you really love me, you'll let me..." Or the worst ever, "I love you."What am I talking about? The word "love". Specifically, that word used incorrectly. In the good ol' days, "love" was not something to be trifled with. It wasn't something to be played with, or some silly little phrase to be tossed at a potential boyfriend/girlfriend. It's noteworthy that the phrase "Love at first sight" wasn't really invented until quite recently. That's because, up until around the last century, love was serious. It wasn't something you said or gave unless it was sincere, mature, and, if you were a Christian, pure.Love has been dethroned. Stripped of its power. Its beauty has faded on us...or, more accurately, we have caused it to fade. What the heck am I talking about? I'll tell you: Our generation doesn't know what love is."Quite simply, we're clueless. We think love is chocolates on Valentine's, passionate kisses, or fluttering hearts. We use "I think I love you" as a pick-up line for a girl or guy we'll hate within a week. Love has been stereotyped as that gushy, emotional, butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling that guys don't talk about, and that girls always dream about. But none of that is love. None.Love is so much more than attraction. I'm so tired of hearing people say that they "love" someone. Quite frankly, they don't. The girl who says "He's perfect. I love him!" really just means that she likes him until she finds his faults. Once he slips a notch on the "Prince Charming-meter," he's gone like yesterday. Or, the guy who croons "She's so hot. I just love her..." What he really means is that, if another girl comes along who's prettier, then this "love" of his will mysteriously disappear. It's conditional, and that's the problem. This is called "liking" someone, not loving someone. You like someone because he or she makes you feel good, or because he's sweet, or she's hot, or whatever. You don't love someone because of his or her cute dimples...love is not about feelings. Whoa, let me say that again. Love isn't about feelings. Did you catch that?Then what the heck is love? I've told you what love isn't. Now let me tell you what love is.Love is a choice.People don't realize that nowadays. That's where the stupid "We fell in love" came into being. Oh, right, check, you were just walking along one day, tripped, and found yourself "madly in love" with someone you hardly even knew two minute ago. "Madly in love" is just as dumb; like, only a complete idiot or insane person could love. Those phrases treat love as our society does: Like love is something you're thrown into, captured by, or, worst, something you feel. Love is not "Ooh, I like you right now, and you haven't hurt me yet, and, heck, you're even cute, so...I love you! Well, at least until you do anything bad. Then I hate you." No, no, no. All wrong.Love is choosing to love someone in spite of who he or she is. It's saying "You are more important to me than what I feel. No matter what you do, who you are, what you say, or how you feel, I will always be there for you; I will never leave you because of something you did that hurt me. Even if I don't like you at some time, I will always love you."Love isn't based on actions, feelings, words, or looks. You see, love is not conditional; it doesn't change. Love isn't taken back when someone does something wrong or mean. It doesn't disappear when someone is being a jerk. It doesn't hide its head when you don't feel like loving someone. That's because love doesn't base itself off of anything but a single choice. Love does not waver in a relationship depending on who likes who because it is stronger than feelings. Its strength is found in its innate ability to continue on even when the attraction fades. It is more beautiful than anything else because it survives hardships, pain, humiliation, envy, anger, anything. Please don't abuse such a powerful term. It sickens me when I hear someone who has been going out with her boyfriend for three days say "We're in love." Not only is it completely and totally wrong and untrue, it's hurtful to the other person. It's saying that you are pretending to be there for him through the thick and thin, but you really only want him as long as he wants you. Anytime things get rough, you're gone. Really old married couples know what real love is. Ask one. Did they always like each other? Heck, no. They were often so mad that they wanted to kill the other. However, they still loved each other. That means that they didn't give up on each other because of faults, short-comings, or wrinkly skin. Their love ran deeper than that. They were in it for the long fun, regardless of what was thrown their way.Why all this rambling? I'm just tired of seeing people my age throwing themselves onto every good-looking person who walks by, claiming that "love" has overtaken them. The person doing the "loving" is wrong, as is the person who thinks that they're being loved. It's OK to like someone, don't get me wrong. But do yourself and everyone else a favor and only say you like them. In case you didn't understand what love is from my ranting, try this perfection: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ---"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.Main points to remember: liking someone is conditional...but loving someone is not.

Protecting Our Daughters

Please follow the link for an excellent blog on protecting our daughters.

Don't Marry a Career Woman

It seems that there has been quite a stir made by Forbes Magazine's article on the above title. Feminists came out of the wood work to complain and whine. Could it be because they fear they will never marry now???? (Mrs. Calla Lilly now smiles, and takes her tongue out of her cheek.) Frankly, I applaud the author's courage in stating the facts.

A Second Hope Chest

This year, I received an early birthday present from my mother-in-law. A hope chest! It may seem strange to you that a middle-aged, married woman would even want such an object, but I did - very much, in fact. I never had a real hope chest in my youth. I had an antique steamer trunk with drawers that I loved to fill with my "treasures." As our daughter fills her hope chest with beautiful things for her future married life, I want to fill mine with beautiful things for future grandchildren. My daughter will be learning to sew this summer, and what better way to learn than on things for babies.  

Long Term Hope Chest Project

This morning I started a new hope chest project for our daughter. I have long wanted to put together a cookbook full of recipes that she likes, but this morning I decided to do it scrapbook style with old photos beside the recipe. I am beginning with a breakfast cookbook. This morning I typed up our favorite pancake recipe and put beside it a photo of our daughter when she was four, smiling gleefully at a plate of pancakes. Of course, most recipes will not have such a good photo match, but I thought that if the recipe came from someone we knew, I could include a photo of that person, etc. Anyway, I took the recipe and photo and put them on pretty scrapbook paper and put it in a plastic scrapbook page. I can hardly wait to do more pages!  

I can't get blogspot to post this in columns, but I think that after looking at the photo of the finished product, you'll be able to get the idea. This is a page from the scrapbook that our daughter and I have been making to go along with the Raising Maidens of Virtue book that we have been studying.






A Covenant Between a Father& Daughter as Witnessed by the Lord Jesus Christ

Father                                                                                                 * Daughter

I will protect you from                                                                         *I will accept your protection
unqualified young men.                                                                        * and keep myself pure for my
                                                                                                          * husband.

I will be diligent to lovingly                                                                  * I acknowledge that I am
guard you from even the                                                                     * capable of being deceived and
presence of temptation.                                                                       *will come to you should any
                                                                                                         * temptation present itself.

I will teach you God’s                                                                        *I will listen and learn and
principles concerning life                                                                    * wait for God’s best for my
and marriage.                                                                                    * life.

I will pray for you and communicate                                                 * I will seek first the kingdom
with you concerning God’s                                                              * of God and wait for your
choice of your life’s partner.                                                            * blessing before entering into
                                                                                                       * marriage.




_____________________                                                                 ______________________


Date: ________________

On Second Thought....

...if you,or anyone you know of, is raising a young knight, please raise your hand high enough so that I can see that you are out there. :) ~Thank you. 

Applications Now Being Reviewed

Just kidding, of course. :) Our daughter has now reached the age where waiting for her "knight in shining armor" is not so much the problem as is wondering if there are any Knights left. Sometimes I wonder myself. When I met my own dear knight 19 years ago, I knew he was a rare find, so how much more rare will it be today. My daughter and I kidded about placing an ad on her blog as a joke, but we were afraid of what kind of responses she would get. Of course the ad only included character traits that were "knightly", so it is not all we desire for her. Here is our pretend ad for your enjoyment:


Wanted:

Knight in Shining Armor/ Warrior Poet
(those with tarnished armor need not apply)

Must display the following qualities:

pure in heart
brave - willing to slay dragons and rescue fair maidens
chivalrous
noble
loyal
honest
generous
have fire of intellect
a servant-leader
kindhearted
ability to woo fair maiden through poetry or music

Job Requirements:

must love fair maiden

Knights-in-training (i.e. squires) may apply

Applications may be sent to the gate keepers of the Princess' tower via e-mail.

The Common Room: Home Ec, Laundry 101

The Common Room: Home Ec, Laundry 101

Wonderful laundry link! Hat tip to Mrs. Happy Housewife. ;)

A True Girl

Here is a passage from Mrs. Julia McNair Wright's The Complete Home:

A true girl, one who has the right to the name of lady does not desire to call public attention to herself. She must be sought for. She does not parade herself to general view. She is careful not to act or dress in a manner to make herself remarkable either for oddity, display, showy colors, or extravagance. Her dress and her manners are simple and refined. Her good taste regulates her tones, her words and her actions as well as her bonnets. She quietly does what she thinks she ought, and has a large reserve power of intelligence, wit, accomplishment, kind feeling. She does not show forth at one glance all her possessions, as some people who set all their silver forth on their tables at once, but she has an untold inheritance and acquistion of valuable things, which will only be discovered by a long acquaintance, when day by day she will surprise you by having a depth of strength, and culture, and lovingness beyond your pervious discerning. Such a girl is like an inexhaustible gold mine, while many girls are like the bogus mines, started by some crafty speculator, who has scattered a little gold and quartz along the surface. 

Romantic Christmas Memories

One of my favorite Christmas presents from my husband was during the year we were courting. What made the gift so special was the meaning behind the gift. I did not have a great deal of money, and my loved one did not feel that I had a proper winter coat (which I did not). So, after consulting with my mother, he bought a beautiful coat to keep me warm during the cold winter months that lay ahead. That gift often reminded me of his love for me in a way that no piece of jewelry could. I knew that he desired to protect me and care for me. His love was, and still is, a selfless love. 

Authentic Beauty - The Shaping of a Set-Apart Young Woman

 


Leslie Ludy's book, Authentic Beauty, is a fresh and biblical discussion of beauty, modesty, and purity of heart that is exceptionally honest and unrelentingly in its challenges for Christian young women today to become the princess' they were called to be. Ludy goes beyond the simple, outward rules about modesty and relationships to matters of the heart and our relationship with Jesus, our true Prince. This passionate and intimate relationship with Christ is the heart of Ludy's work and life.

In this book, Ludy is frank about her own adolescence and teen years, her past and present desires and fears, her triumphs and her failures. It is the story of her becoming a woman of great beauty before God, a woman who would sacrifice anything for her Lord. Because of the candor with which Ludy speaks, parental guidance in reading this book is encouraged for parents of younger girls. It is, however, this same candor that speaks to the hearts of so many young women as they are able to relate to the author's life experiences and heart. She offers hope to those who believe that true beauty and purity are unattainable for them. Ludy gives young women the tools they need to become beautiful brides for Christ and "lilies among the thorns."

Leslie Ludy's book ends in a challenge for the readers to become women who "discover passionate, daily, unhindered intimacy with their true Prince, Jesus Christ." Her prayer is that they become women "utterly different from the world around them..radiant...confident...fulfilled...and possess a truly authentic beauty that flows from within...in complete and utter devotion to their Prince." If we belong to God, isn't this what each of us, as women of God, should desire? This book is a must read for young women today's changing world.

The Fort That Protects the Castle

"Modesty is important because
it is the fort that protects the castle, but it is also the frame that enhances the picture."

It is hard to imagine that an innocent looking child such as this would grow into the likes of Brittany Spears, but it is not only possible, it is likely. It seems as though many young girls who start out life dressed in fresh, youthful, and modest clothing drastically change when they hit adolescence. What puzzles me most is when these girls show up in various places with their parents, and they are dressed for a cocktail party or worse. How can these parents leave their daughters so unprotected? Do they not treasure the gift that God has given them?

I believe the answer most often lies in the disturbing fact that most parents are so afraid of "losing" their teen that they allow their child to do as they wish, and thus have genuinely "lost" their child. Too many parents are more concerned with being their child's friend than they are their parent. I am not saying that you cannot be both friend and parent to your child, but when it comes to a choice between the two, you must always choose the role of parent so long as that child is living under your protection. Teens have no real respect for parents who do not set and stick to limits for their children. Yes, all teens will push those limits, but in reality they know that those limits are safety nets for them. This is such a critical time in the life of your child. It is a time when your child watches you with the most scrutiny to see if you really meant all those things you have been "preaching" throughout their childhood. It is a time to affirm for them and yourself what you really believe.

Magazines and Role Models

Several months ago, I considered starting a magazine for women over 40, but I discovered that there already was such a magazine. Without doing much research on the magazine, I subscribed, only to be disappointed by articles that are superficial, promoting looking younger and finding fulfillment in life through pleasure. I want to grow old gracefully and with dignity, not with a botoxed face, bleached hair, and a "toy boy."

I have had similar disappointments in searching for an appropriate magazine for teenaged Christian girls. When I was young, I subscribed to a magazine put out by Moody entitled Young Ambassador, which was a great encouragement to my faith. It was full of articles about other teens around the globe who faced struggles and temptations and stood strong in their faith. Is this type of magazine now obsolete because there are so few teenagers today who are willing to be different for Christ? I hope not!

There are Christian magazines for teens available, but they are often too worldly, and the articles are "dumbed down" with worldly teen lingo to the extent that the magazines lose credibility. There are also a small number of magazines on the other end of the spectrum, but these are often not published regularly or are somewhat sterile.

If for no other reason (and certainly Scripture gives us plenty in Titus), this lack of spiritual encouragement via publications makes it paramount that older women come alongside the younger generation and begin developing friendships in order to encourage them in the Lord to be strong in their faith.

Be willing to share your past struggles, failures, and triumphs through Christ with a young girl. Pray for those teen girls that you know. Send a teen an anonymous note of encouragement, letting her know that someone is lifting her up in prayer and shares in her daily struggles. Remember when you were young and the temptations you faced? Imagine how alone some of these girls feel today when they try to stand for Christ. Encourage a young girl in her faith today. Be truly part of the body of Christ.

Hope Chests

Do you have a hope chest for your daughter? We do. As your daughter grows into young womanhood, a hope chest is a wonderful starting point for birthday and holiday presents. Lately, I have been buying pretty kitchen towels and pot holders that are season oriented. For Valentine's Day we gave our daughter a pot holder with pretty pink hearts on it. My daughter and I are always on the lookout for pretty things that will make her future home more beautiful and inviting. We do put in items that are practical, but we also make a point that those things are high quality and lovely. Some of the pretty things that I had set aside before I was married (my hope chest was an old train trunk that I dearly loved) bring a smile of fond remembrance to me when I see them. My daughter's hope chest content has been mainly focused on the kitchen and dining table, but we hope to also fill it with delicate baby clothes as she desires a family. I believe that boys should have chests as well - filled with tools, books, etc. What a wonderful way to help our children take wing and get a good start in life.