Cattle on a Thousand Hills

During my college days, I was just sure I would be teaching in the big city, so when God led me to Southern Indiana (WAS there anything south of Bloomington? I really couldn't be sure), it really caught me off guard! Now that Spring has sprung, I receive a special blessing every morning as I drive through the countryside. The rolling hills are a verdant green and the air is quiet, save the birds singing. On those hills graze dozens of cattle, perfectly satisfied and provided for, and I am reminded of Psalm 50:

"every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills." ~verse 10

When I feel myself sinking, the eyes of my heart straying from the heart of my Lord, I look at the cattle on His Southern Indiana hills, and I am filled with hope. If my Heavenly Father counts the cattle on a thousand hills as His own, how much more must He delight in his human children!

Renting vs. Owning

I am beginning to notice the strange looks my husband and I get when people ask if we are planning on buying a house soon and we say "no." Some voice their opinions: "You're just throwing your money away by renting," "Why don't you build some equity?" "There's never been a better time to buy a house," "How could you turn down the $8000 tax credit?" Others decline from comment, but I can see that they think we are strange.

As Dave Ramsey says, "You know you are on the right track when people start calling you weird..." This is a comfort.

The fact is that I grew up in a family where NO ONE I knew rented. In fact, my dad owned several rental properties in our town and I used to go with him for maintenance runs. I even made friends with some of the kids who lived in the different houses. I got the impression that families who rented were just not forward-thinking people. They didn't know how to use their money wisely. And I assumed that I would grow up and own a home immediately.

When we first moved to Southern Indiana, in fact, we were looking to buy a home. No, we knew nothing about the area. Yes, we were just out of college and hadn't even had our first paychecks yet. In fact, Seth wasn't even hired on to his school corporation until the week before school began in August. But by golly, we were not the renting type. Actually, our families both seemed skeptical when we showed them a few houses on line. "Get to know the area first," they advised, much to our surprise. They were so right (and are, more often than not). Between their good advice and God talking some sense into us, we realized that we were in no way ready to buy a home. We asked the realtor we had been working with if she could help us find an apartment to rent. She gave us a list, I picked up the phone, and in one afternoon, we found the perfect apartment, where we still live happily today.

We never thought we would be here as long as we have, but God has revealed a lot to us about our finances and His path for our lives. First of all, we became convicted that we needed to get out (and stay out) of debt. I am excited to say that we have paid off a Lowe's card, a Visa card, two student loans and one car since the fall after we got married, but we still have a ways to go. Because all of our savings has been going to pay off debt, we do not have money set aside for a downpayment on a house. Not to mention the fact that we sense that we are entering a new chapter in our lives that may change our income significantly. Not to mention the fact that my husband and I both work as music educators, and as much as I would like to think our jobs are safe, I would not be surprised if, when all is said and done, they are not as safe as we would like to think they are.

I know that those who shake their heads at us in wonder really do care about us and are just trying to help. Deep in my heart I really do want a "piece of the pie!" In fact, I want that so much that sometimes (like now) I have to lay everything out in front of me to affirm the fact that we are making the right decision (for us) to remain renters at this particular time in our lives. I really believe that God has something special in store for us down the road; we just have to be patient.

And as for the argument that we are throwing our money down the toilet, I like to make a comparison to food. I eat because I must eat to sustain my life. Okay, I enjoy it immensely, but even if I didn't, I would still eat even though it does not make me any money. I pay rent and in return I get nice, comfortable, affordable shelter. Of course owning a home is a better investment, but making the food comparison helps me to see that whether or not money is being wasted is a matter of perspective.

What Must I Do to be Saved?

"When you were dead in your sins...God made you alive with Christ" (Colossians 2:13)

I admit it--I am a control freak. The Lord has been working on this area of my heart for years, and I'm sure He will be working on it until the day I die.

A few days ago, as I was driving and listening to a sermon on the Christian radio station, God revealed something to me about salvation that I have been fogetting lately. Yes, my head knows the process of salvation, but my heart has been missing one very powerful point.

When Jesus cried out on the cross, "It is finished!" he used language that implies "Your sin is paid in full." There is nothing that we can bring to Jesus to complete the act of redemption that He performed on Calvary.

I have heard a number of speakers use terminology leading people to believe that they have to bring something of value to the cross of Jesus. They must bring a commitment to follow Jesus, a heart ready to live for Him all their days. But is this salvation? I don't think so. The only thing we bring to the salvation process is our brokenness and the filth of our sins. If we do not come empty, how then can we be filled with the grace of the Lord Jesus?

Commitment to live in obedience to God through the power of the Holy Spirit is something different (not that it can't happen along with salvation, but for many it seems to happen later). At the cross, we are justified; then, we are sanctified (set apart) for the work God "prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). Understanding this distinction is a long process that began with my upbringing in a Holiness church.

The Church of God, Anderson, is historically a holiness movement that believed sanctification to be a second definite work of grace. Although the Church of God today does not seem to preach sanctification directly, my parents and grandparents alluded to it often as I was growing up, and the Nazarene Church of which my husband and I are members does teach it very intentionally. As my grandmother (the daughter of early Church of God ministers) always said, "When you are saved, you bring your sins to Jesus. When you are sanctified, you bring your Self."

With all of this theology presented to me from a young age, why does this grace of God still catch me by surprise? Because the love of God is so "wide and long and high and deep" that I will never grasp it until I stand before my Savior in heaven. And thank God for that; may the wonder of it never cease. Because I want to be in control of my life and my faith, I tend to come to God only when I feel I have something to offer to His kingdom. I am thankful to the Lord for teaching me this week that He paid my debt in full that day (today, Good Friday) on Calvary, and there is nothing I have ever done or will ever do (try as I might) to add to that payment.

Thank God that His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Last night, I made my own laundry detergent for the first time. I am very pleased with the results so far. My clothes had a pleasant soapy smell when I took them out of the washer and then had no scent coming out of the washer; they just smelled clean! They felt fairly soft, even without fabric softener, and had no residue or stiffness as was the case with my purchased detergent. Here is the recipe:

Homemade Laundry Detergent:

• 1 bar Fels-Naptha laundry soap (I have read you can use most any bar of soap except for "beauty bars" with lots of lotion and additives).
• 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
• 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
• (Some recipes I have found suggest using 1/2 cup Oxyclean, especially for whites; I may try this if I feel the whites are not maintaining their brightness over time)

1. In a large bowl mix together the washing soda and Borax.

2. Place your shredder disk in your food processor. Shred the bar of soap in the processor. Remove shredding disk and place the metal blade in the bowl. You can also grate the soap with a hand grater.

3. Add about 1/2 cup of the dry mixture into the FP bowl with the shredded soap. Process until the texture of sand.

4. Dump the soap mixture into the remaining dry mixture and combine thoroughly.

5. Use 1 heaping tablespoon per full load, 2 for heavily soiled loads. (Some recipes say 2 tbsp. per full load, but I thought 1 worked fine for my full load of jeans and t-shirts). Store in a yogurt container or large butter tub.

*As this is a compilation of many things I have read, there may be some variation depending on your water hardness and preferences.

*Be aware that this does look strange because the soap doesn't completely blend in with the powders.

*Another useful tip I have discovered is that vinegar works great for a fabric softener and also keeps your washer clean and deodorized.

This recipe is an incredible savings per load. I haven't done any figuring but it is something like between 1 and 2 cents per load. The Simple Dollar Blog did a cost breakdown and found that commercial laundry detergent is 10 times more expensive. I'm actually surprised that more people don't do this; it's pretty easy!

My only question is this: IS IT SAFE TO USE MY FOOD PROCESSOR FOR LAUNDRY SOAP MAKING AND FOR FOOD AS LONG AS I THOROUGHLY CLEAN AND SOAK IT? I know Borax can be toxic. I would appreciate comments on this.

The Elusive Black Skirt

I have been looking for a plain, just-below-the-knee black skirt for about...6 months now? Maybe longer? I can't remember! I have now looked in every thrift shop in the nearest town at least once, and some (St. Vincent dePaul and Goodwill) multiple times. I even visited a Goodwill Store while visiting my parents up north. This store is in a very affluent neighboring town and is known for its fabulous finds. After all this, I have a very nice selection of skirts in all colors and patterns, but still no solid black one. I can't even find a new one I like that fits me well. This should be so simple to find, but it continues to elude me. I ought to be frustrated, but I'm starting to find this situation very funny. Sometimes I like to imagine my life as a comedy show, and I think that "The Elusive Black Skirt" might be a funny episode! There I stand, in front of an endless row of black skirts of all lengths and styles and materials...oh, the possibilities!

God's standard

As I read 2 Kings (and other portions of the Old Testament), I find the accounts of total annihilation difficult to digest. While I understand that God was SERIOUS about his people rejecting idolatry and embracing Him as their one and only deity, these stories can be difficult to digest when viewed through the lens of the New Testament.

In the note on 2 Kings 10:24 in my Life Application Study Bible, I read the following:

"Israel was supposed to be intolerant of any religion that did not worship the true God. The religions of surrounding nations were evil and corrupt. They were designed to destroy life, not uphold it. Israel was God's special nation, chosen to be an example of what was right. But Israel's kings, priests, and elders first tolerated, then incorporated surrounding pagan beliefs, and thus became apathetic to God's way. We are to be completely intolerant of sin and remove it from our lives. We should be tolerant of people who hold differing views, but we should not condone beliefs or practices that lead people away from God's standards of living."

This helped me to see that while I may never completely understand why God would condone the destruction of nations, He has something to teach me in these stories. Sin is serious business and should be treated as such. Through Christ and the New Covenant, God can eradicate sin from our hearts. We must allow Him to come in and make us clean.

Journaling through the Tightwad Gazette

I recently finished the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. As I turned to the last page, I was seriously bummed; I knew it was coming, but I didn't want to believe it was all over. I savored this book little by little (having started reading it in November). Not only is it useful, but I find it extremely entertaining. Perhaps most importantly, I came to regard the author as someone who was cheering me on toward my financial goals. One of the most valuable lessons learned from Amy is that tightwads fall along a spectrum of lifestyles. Some are "blackbelt" tightwads who go to almost any length to save their cents. Some are "borderline" tightwads who pick and choose what to cut and what to keep from their spendthrift past. Many, including myself, fall somewhere in the middle of those two. Wherever you fall, learning how to be a good steward of your resources and finding alternative (free) ways to acheive a fulfilling life WILL make a significant difference in your budget.

Instead of returning this book to my shelf, I decided to read it over again. This time I am keeping a journal where I record facts and recipes to remember and ideas to inspire. The centerpiece of my journal will be my experiences in trying out Amy's (and her newsletter subscribers') cost-cutting and life-enriching tips. Watch for excerpts from my journal on this blog!

Excerpt from the book:
"When I learned that walking a mile burned up the same amount of calories as in an apple I wondered how many miles I would have to run to burn the calories in a candy bar. It made more sense to give up the candy bar. Most Americans are running to burn up candy bars. They are running out of the house, rnning to the daycare center, running on the job...so they can afford candy bars and Nintendo games, meals at McDonald's, and designer sneakers."