Once upon a time — in what we might think of as the “Happy Days” era — courtship was governed by a set of guardrails. Potential partners generally met within the context of larger social institutions: neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and families. There were certain accepted social scripts. The purpose of these scripts — dating, going steady, delaying sex — was to guide young people on the path from short-term desire to long-term commitment.

Over the past few decades, these social scripts became obsolete. They didn’t fit the post-feminist era. So the search was on for more enlightened courtship rules. You would expect a dynamic society to come up with appropriate scripts. But technology has made this extremely difficult. Etiquette is all about obstacles and restraint. But technology, especially cellphone and texting technology, dissolves obstacles. Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous, frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions and commitments.

This old geranium belonged to my grandpa who is now in a nursing home.  I could not bare to toss it out when we cleared out their place.  I remember him being so proud of this spindly thing.  He'd take me aside and show it to me when we'd visit.  He'd remark how he only gave it rain water he collected.  Somehow, I just need to keep this little plant going.  It spent the summer outside.  Now it is getting some sunshine from the inside.  

~Jenn

My friend Josephine has started a business and now has a website!!. The website is still in the production phase but it looks wonderful!. Josephine has a sweet spirit and is a wonderful testimony of how God can work in a tragic situation. God is working in her life so much right now and I pray only the best for her.  Please check out her new website and the products she is offering---click HERE.

     Jenn4him, my daughter, and I are attending a Wednesday night Bible study together at church. She has been to many but this is my first,  and I have to say that I am awestruck with wonder at how God's Grace surrounds us ladies as we study from a wonderful book called,  "The Power of a Woman's Words" by Sharon Jaynes. We are also memorizing I Corinthians 13, and I didn't think it possible for me to do with my "over 60 memory issues" but I am. Another new experience for me is praying out loud with another lady, after getting into groups of 2 or 3. I am awkward and not as eloquent as the other ladies but I am doing this too.  

     From the time spent in Wednesday night Bible study, God is also changing my thoughts and speech.  "Think before speaking" is a new daily mantra. Picture yourself biting down on your tongue holding back words before they fly helter skelter out of your mouth, and cannot be taken back. I love the image.  This week's chapter, from Sharon Jayne's book, is  called "The Potency of Silence." She nailed a bad habit of mine, which I didn't think was gossiping, when she wrote that to say "bless her heart" after  talking about someone was really just sugar coated gossip. Guilty as charged.  But I am trying to stop this before the words get out of my mouth. Remember the tongue biting"?  She suggests that we say, "May I quote you on what you are about to tell me?" to anyone wanting to share "news" or a "concern" about somone else.  I like this. 

      I am being drawn nearer to the Lord, partly due to this Bible study, attending church, and early morning quiet time spent in the Word, but most importantly because the Lord has opened my DH's eyes and softened his heart, growing us closer to each other. God's plan for us is unfolding and He is working inside both of us daily. No matter what happens to our business, we know that He will take care of us if we follow His plan . We are attending a new members class this Saturday in the hopes of joining the church. Please pray for us.  

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Save In Piggybacking

In all the changes that I have made this year I have been learning the importance of "piggybacking".  Piggybacking is when you butt one thing after the other and save because it is already heated up.  For example... to dry one load of laundry after the other and save because the dryer is already heated up.  Another way I have piggybacked my savings is when I roast my coffee beans.  I roast what I need for that week...one batch after the other. A third way that I can think of right off the bat is piggybacking while baking or cooking with the oven.  Get the biggest bang for your buck by baking several things together and right after the other.  In the winter time it is also a nice way to raise the temperature a little in your house.  I guess you can say it is like multi-tasking your energy use and save.   .

Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....

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  Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post.   (each Tuesday that  you join in on the fun)  

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example of a URL ...

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/

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  Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's. 

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 Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars  together !

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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."

     Every year around this time we usually study the pilgrims & The First Thanksgiving. I feel like we have given adequate attention to that topic so I asked my DC if they wanted to let's take a different approach this year in our study & they said yes. That's when we decided to study the Indians & their side to the story.

     It has turned in to a major indian study, not just the Wampanoags that were at the First Thanksgiving. We started with the Wampanoag & then my daughter wanted to study Sacagawea. So now we have pulled in the Shoshoni & the other tribes associated with them. My son said he wants to study Geronimo so we are going to pull in the tribes associated with him.

     We are going to do lots of comparisons with clothing, homes, traditions, tools, diets, etc. I have an indian DVD set that come from Sam's that has a great deal of the different cultures so we are going to use that. Between these DVDs and our library books we should have an abundance of study on our hands. I know this is going to take us through Christmas I'm sure.

     Oh, & I almost forgot, their dad & they are building a wigwam & a teepee. The children are excited over that. They are actually going to camp in them & cook like the indians. I don't know any better way to learn something better than just putting your hand in it & doing it. Hands on, they should learn so much.

     Our other studies are coming along. I need to clerify that I have a fifth & sixth grader. When I say we are getting ready for the S.A.T. it is the Standard Acheivement Test. Don't ask me why, but our covering that we are under calls it the S.A.T. so I have gotten used to calling it that also. This will be our first year to take it. We have wanted to do it in the past, but something would always prevent it. Hopefully this year in March we'll get to.

     We are just sitting here tonight riding out the storm from Ida. So far it's just a lot of rain. The wind hasn't been bad, thank God.

     Enough for now. I think this is a pretty good update of what we are currently doing. Until next time, Traci