So Glad I Saw It First!!!

What is "it"? The worm on the kitchen floor. Baby Aaliyah is in the stage where she is crawling around and putting everything in her mouth. I was doing the dishes and went into the laundry room to get more soap. When I came back, that is when I saw it. Where it came from, - I am not sure-I probably tracked it in from the carport when I went outside; but Praise the Lord I saw it before Aaliyah did!!!  These little creatures are great for your garden; but gross for baby girls!

What is Oxytocin?

Why do they call the act of marriage (aka. sex) lovemaking?, What is one of the benefits of nursing that has nothing to do with the baby's physical wellbeing? and, How are these two subjects connected. The hormone oxytocin is the answer. Oxytocin is the pleasure/bond forming hormone that your body releases during the act of marriage. It is the hormone that signals your milk to let down when its time for you to nurse your baby (or even when you hear your baby cry), and it is also responsible for signaling your body to start contractions. You may have heard of pitocin. Pitocin or Syntocin are artificial forms of this hormone. The body of a woman is so amazing. Even more amazing is the God Who created the bodies of women. When you marry a man and get to enjoy the pleasures that God meant only to be enjoyed by a married man and woman, the woman's body releases this hormone which causes her to form a bond with this man and to love him. (This is one of the reasons why casual sex for women, which is being pushed so hard by the feminists, will never work! There is no oxytocin for men.) This may also be why that young lady you know who is being mistreated by that man (whom she is not married to) and she will not leave him.

Also, babies who are breast fed will form a bond with their mothers that cannot be duplicated with bottle fed babies. I do realize that some women are not able to nurse for whatever reason. If you are one of these women - be sure that you are truly in that small percentage of women who cannot nurse-before you switch to formula. Most of the time its a latching issue that causes our problems. See a lactation consultant; then enjoy being a wonderful mom that has to bottle feed that beautiful baby of yours!

Garden Tip number 1 - Tomatoes

One of my favorite things to plant, grow, and eat every year is tomatoes. Here is one thing that I have learned about buying tomatoes. First of all, some things are better to buy and plant as seeds, others as plants. Tomatoes - to me - belong in the latter category. My first year gardening I bought eight plants and planted them all. One died leaving me with seven. We also had a problem with black spots on the leaves, vermacillan wilt, and blossom end rot. One thing that will help with all of these things is to:

A.) Buy a variety of tomato that is vermacillian resistant. (may not be spelled correctly)
B.) Fertilize once a month - but not too much. If you do experience fertilizer burn, just water the plant almost to death. It should recover.
C.) Don't over-water
D.) If you or someone you know has a fish tank - use the water from the tank when they clean it out at the end of every month - GREAT fertilizer.
E.) Finally, and most importantly, pinch off any suckers. The best thing about this is that you can buy a plant that has a few suckers on it (or wait, they will come). lrt it grow a couple if inches, and replant just the sucker (put 80% of the little sucker in the ground and watch and wait!). It will grow and be just as healthy and productive as the original plant.

Suckers are the part of the tomato plant that stems from between two essential parts of the vine. I wish I had a picture to show you; but I didn't know I would be posting this today, so I didn't take a picture last year. (I will this year to show you later, or maybe I can find one on the web and post it.) In an effort to make sure you understand what a sucker is...you have the main vine, then you will have off shoots from that vine. After a few days you will see little vines beginning to grow out of the "v". That is a sucker. It will suck nutrients from your plant and will cause it to grow more vines and leaves than tomatoes. Also, your tomatoes will be better quality if you are faithful to pinch suckers off. Anything that does not come off the main vine can probably be cut or pinched off. Last year I even cut off some extra leaves. Cutting off extra will ensure that oxygen,bees,butterflies, and light can easily get to your blossoms and eventually fruit. If you don't know what you are doing, don't cut anything. It will still grow and you will be fine. If you plant more than one bush; pinch and cut what you think is un-important and see if everything is ok before you try it on the others.
Hope this bit of advice is a help to all tomato lovers.

Tinyla

Words of Wisdom from RDB

Here is a little tid bit of advice from my wonderful and wise husband Raymond. If you are a married person, be careful about watching a lot of movies, shows, etc., and reading books that tell the tale of two people meeting, dating (courting, whatever), then getting married (if they even do that), and then end leading you to believe that they go on to live happily ever after. If you are going to watch a movie,show, read a book; it is better if it is about people who marry, then overcome struggles and obstacles together. Why? Because doing the other can cause you to become discontent with your life as a married person. So often we get caught up in the story and excitment of meeting new people and doing new things; we neglect or take for granted those who have been in our lives and so important to us. They become "boring" because they are not new, not romantic enough, or not exciting. Live today with the ones you love to its fullest; don't let the devil rob you of the joy of everyday living with the idea that somebody else has it better - especially if that somebody else lives in Hollywood!

Update on Sammie

Well, as it turns out...Sammie was not healed after all. He was fired last week for stealing money from the company (around $4000). Wonder what he needed the money for? Our church member and his former co-worker said he noticed a problem with him not too long ago. He started taking long breaks outside and when he returned to work he was very hyper and excited. Sammie was also caught rolling a joint on the job. Our mutual friend asked Sammie the very same night after we left about his salvation testimony and got about the same answer as I did. As I said before...Please continue to pray for Sammie when you think of him.

Before I could finish praying...

Praise the Lord!!! This week we have been experiencing computer/internet/printer problems. NO FUN! Thus I had to resort to going to the library for all my internet needs. Well, there was an important document that was emailed to us that my husband needed to fill out pronto. I had a pocket full of change and figured it would be enough; but I was wrong. I pushed print and they were asking me for $1.80. I counted my change and only came up with $1.79. I knew there was a dime on the floorboard of the van, but it was very cold outside (preparing to snow - freezing cold rain), and I was feeling sort of lazy and didn't want to walk ALL THE WAY :0 downstairs to get it, so I prayed...Lord, could you please give me a penny on the ...I looked down, and guess what I saw under my neighbor's chair. 1 cent!!! I don't know why, but I got so excited. I had been having sort of a rough week. When I arrived at home I told my husband about it. Guess what he said. Tinyla!!! You should have asked for $100. (to which I responded) But I didn't need $100, I only needed 1 cent!!!
LOL

12 Days until Spring!!!

Above you will find a picture of one of our gardens. Time did not permit me to upload more pictures for today's post, but I will later. This year I am a little bummed about my plans for our garden for 2010. Whatever we grow will have to be in pots or something that will move well as we will be in transition. Last year we planted strawberries (YUM!!!); but they don't fruit until this year in June. Raymond says we are going to dig every plant up and replant them where ever our place of residence will be in Arkansas. Sounds like work, but it will be worth it. (Right now I am thinking of all the things I will be able to make with my strawberries!!!)

The first year we planted a garden I grew just about everything I could get my hands on - watermelon (didn't work - picked a variety that was too big for the space I have), peppers, tomatoes, squash, okra, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, many different varieties of flowers (they attract bees, which pollinate your fruit and veggies), vegetable spaghetti (aka winter squash), broccoli, etc. (You get the idea). I really didn't know what I was doing, but I would plant something, then get so excited when I would see it growing that I would plant something else.

Last year (our second year) I stuck to things that I had a lot of success with in the previous year, or things that disappeared quickly from the freezer. We had a great crop of cucumbers, so I made a lot of pickles and some relish. We planted a hybrid version of watermelon (much smaller in diameter), cantaloupe, some strawberries, and onions. Everything turned out great; but Aaliyah came right in the middle of June so the garden was put on the back burner for a while.

This year I have big plans! I will plant a garden that will be harvested in the fall instead of the summer. I will post how things go and any tips and tricks as we learn them.

Dreaming of homegrown tomatoes,

Tinyla Charice

Progress!

This post if primarily for us "Nappy headed" women, but you sistas of the fairer, straighter haired race may enjoy it too:).

On the side bar I have posted some pictures of my hair and its growth within the past year. In a nutshell, my hair was thinning and never really seemed to be able to grow more than six inches or so. I started thinking, why is it that a good God would allow every race, but one, to grow their hair long. It didn't make sense. So I began to research and I found out that hair is hair is hair. Every person's maximum length potential is different and is genetically influenced; BUT what you do to it (or don't do to it) can greatly influence that length. I decided to stop perming - aka relaxing - my hair and in one years time...voila! I will be posting some tips and ideas about hair on future blogs. For now, I hope the pictures will be sufficient.

Please Pray for Sammie

Yesterday was the birthday of a dear lady in our church. We call her Sister Gerald. One of the ladies in the church thought it would be a great idea to take her out to eat. She does a lot for us at church, especially when we have potluck dinners. She pretty much cooks enough food to feed the whole church, literally. Last Fathers' Day she baked every father in the church their favorite cake and presented it to them on that Sunday!

We decided to take her to Dennys, and that is where we met Sammie. He was our waitor. He is a very likable fella', and did a great job. Well, one of the members of our church works there with him also and has been praying for him and witnessing to him. We were pretty much finished with our meals when Sammie came over. He knew we were from Ward's church so he decided to give us his testimony - umprompted. (You all know how it is, people know you are "religious" so when they are with you they put on thier "church" music, start praising the Lord, etc...)
His "testimony" went something like this...

Ladies I got a word to tell ya'll. Guess who I served in here the other day? Frankie Jenkins (I don't remember the fellows real name so I made this one up.)Ya'll know who Frankie is right? That man sure can sing!!! Well, one day, about 10 years ago, I was walking down the street. I was strung out on crack and I was begging for money so that I could buy some more. See, I used to pray all the time, "Lord, help me find a big ole' pile -a- crack, or help me to find a whole lotta money so I could buy me some crack. Well, I knocked on some man's door, and guess who it was? Mr. Frankie. He touched me on my shoulder, gave me a few dollars for picking up some trash, and I was on my way. It was the strangest thing, you see, Mr. Frankie healed me that day. He touched me with the hand of Jesus; and I know I was healed, because lo and behold one day I did find a big ole' bag of crack. Guess what I did with it? I threw it away! Isn't the Lord good?

To which we all replied, "Yes, He is!" Then I ask him (and I know it was the Lord, because I am not always this bold for Christ - to my shame.)

So, Mr. Sammie, when did you recieve the Lord as your personal Savior?

Well, young lady, my wife is a minister. Yeah, she preaches on t.v .every Thursday night....

We let him talk, then our pastor's wife ask him again if he was saved; but he never gave the right answer. The Bible says Jesus is the only way to heaven. (John 14:6) And salvation is by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8,9) Romans 10:9,10 spells out very simply how we can receive the Lord into our hearts. We gave him a tract and invited him to church. Please pray that one day he will visit; but more importantly that he will recieve Jesus.

Right now, Mr. Sammie is living in confusion; and based on his testimony - he is not saved. This is why I have a problem with those who claim they are in the healing business. Now, let me make it clear that I don't doubt and would never argue with this man about his experience; BUT many are trusting in an experience to get them to heaven, instead of in Christ. How much better would it have been if Mr. Frankie had shown Sammie how to know for sure he was going to heaven when he died, rather than touching him so he would no longer crave crack. I hear it time and time again while on visitation. "Do you know if you are saved?" Yes. "How?" Well, my mama's a preacher (We hear that A LOT her in NC) or, I was in a car accident and I didn't die; or, I pay my dues to the church every Sunday, even if I can't go, I send it with somebody else.

It doesn't matter if you used to be a pimp, and now you are a preacher; if you have never trusted Christ for salvation, you will not "see the kingdom of God" John 3:1-3, 16-18

Homemade Oxyclean

Here it is! Use this in conjunction with your homemade laundry detergent and plain white vinegar as your fabric softer in your rinse cycle for wonderfully clean, great smelling, fresh laundry - You made it all yourself and it is cheap!!!

Ingredient list:
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide (that you use for cuts and scrapes)
1/2 cup baking soda

Simply mix these ingredients together and add to your wash cycle before or after you add your detergent. For an extra grimy load, let you clothes sit for twenty minutes to overnight, then wash.

If you have a stubborn stain, substitute the water for white vinegar and make a paste with the baking soda. Pour the peroxide on the stain. Let sit for twenty minutes to six hours (f.y.i. looses potency after six hours). Toss into washer.

Why this works/How oxyclean works:

Oxyclean is basically baking soda and the dry form of hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda deodorizes, while the peroxide (or Oxy part of oxyclean) agitates the stains to break them up which allows the soap in your detergent attach to them more easily; then the water rinses the stain away.

Note: This works best on organic (carbon based stains - blood, grass stains, urine, etc.). For really bad stains you may need to repeat the wash. I truly believe you will be amazed when you use this!

Good Neighbor Day

Never heard of GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY? That's because I made it up! This will be my third year to participate in good neighbor day. The first year it happened by accident. I made a peach pie and my husband made a negative comment about it. When he came home from work the next day, he was looking around the kitchen...

Me - "What are you looking for?" (I already knew:)
Raymond - "The pie, you ate all the rest of it!"
Me - "No, I gave it to Mr. Dale. You said you didn't like it."
Raymond - "I never said I didn't like it, I said I thought it was a little runny."
Me - "That means you didn't like it" (This was during our second year of marriage, my first year as a stay-at-home wife)
Raymond - "That doesn't mean I didn't like it, I just prefer my pies with a little more crust and a little less juice."
Me - "Oh, sorry."

I had packed up the pie in a disposable container, marked it with a magic marker - GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY!, and given it to one of our neighbors.

The next year in July I baked some peanut butter brownies, oatmeal raisin cookies (Raymond's favorite), and chocolate chip cookies. A family with three young children had just moved in and I thought it would be a great way to meet them, but I wanted to give Mr. Dale (our neighbor to the left and a widower) some cookies too. (Mr. Dale hates chocolate, so he only got brownies and oatmeal raisin cookies.) I put the cookies and brownies in a Ziploc bag for each person, put the baggies in a paper sack labeled GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY, and put a tract and invitation to our church in each bag. Aaliyah and I got dressed, we got the dog, then went to deliver the goodies.

GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY has been a great tool for us to give the gospel to our neighbors, make friendships with them, find out their interests, introduce them to our pit bull (she looks mean, but she really is a sweetheart - plus they are a little more forgiving when she goes on one of her barking tirades), and recently - to show off our little gift Aaliyah.

This year GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY for us will be the first day of Spring (March 20th) because -Lord willing- we will be moving at the end of April. I haven't decided what I am going to do yet. Any suggestions?