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What a great week we had with children and grandchildren. Tammy, Neil, and the three grandchildren were here from Maryland for a week. We had a scary close call I blogged about on my other blog.
Papa, Marmee, and Tyler. Is he too cute or what?
Feeding the Goats
Neighbor’s cows
Tammy and brothers (funny that all wearing camoflauge shorts)
Happy 9th B Day David
Army theme birthday Party
Steak and Shake
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Posted by Robin on August 18th, 2008
Filed as: Animals, Family, Homemaking |
Summertime is not quite over. Catch a few days of sun before the leaves start changing.
Just because life is a bit more relaxed during the lazy days of summer doesn’t change the fact that we still need to know where things are and keep them handy. Here are some simple tips to keep your summertime activities and supplies running smoothly.
 Keep like items grouped together in separate crates: BBQ supplies, pool maintenance supplies, etc.- Keep a basket of beach towels clean and rolled up in the laundry room near the outside door for easy pool, lake, beach, sprinkler, play.
- Keep a handled bin in the back of your trunk or van for putting supplies, groceries, etc. and keeping them from rolling all over the car.
- Have an insulated bag rolled up in the trunk, too, for keeping frozen foods cold on the trip home from the store on hot days.
 Keep a folded blanket or sturdy tablecloth in the back of the car for impromptu picnics in the park, or to sit on during an outdoor theater or concert event.- Store all hand-held gardening and weeding tools in plastic bucket with a handle. Trowel, gloves, knee pad, etc.
- Hang a shoe bag organizer over the back of one of the car’s front seats for your kids to store their toys, books, games, maps, water bottle, and other car or travelling related supplies. If the bag’s too long, cut it to length and hem the bottom.
 In your guest bathroom, keep a small bin or wooden box on the countertop for easy access with a collection of summertime ointments and lotions. Sunscreen (a variety of SPF levels), aloe, hand lotion, bug spray/lotion, antiseptic, anti-itch lotion for bug bites.- Store a small accordion file in your car with all essential car-related stuff. Registration, insurance information, maps, emergency contacts, receipts, and directions.
- Store a “Before We Leave” checklist in luggage. Make a master list of chores, errands, and packing requirements you encounter before each out of town trip you make. You can even laminate the list and then check off complete items with a dry erase marker.
- Make sure your jumper cables, tire jack and emergency kit are actually in the car.
- Keep all camping supplies in one place. Store camping cookware in a hamper that stays packed and ready to go at a moments notice.
Deborah Taylor-Hough (free-lance writer and mother of three) is the author of several popular books including Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month and A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide for Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity. To subscribe to her free email newsletter, Simple Times, send an email to: subscribe-simple-times@hub.thedollarstretcher.com Visit Debi online and read more articles dealing with simple living, frugality, parenting and much more: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/
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Posted by Robin on August 13th, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking, Organization |
mmmmm
- Fresh Fruit (peaches, strawberries, banana or blueberries)
- Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla Yogurt
- Post Trail Mix Crunch
Post Trail Mix Crunch was on sale last week at CVS buy one get one free. Quite a savings at $4.29 a box.
I mix fresh fruit with a few spoons of Dannon Fit and Light Yogurt and sprinkle with the cereal (Raisin and Almond is my favorite). I eat this for breakfast, snacks and often for lunch. It never gets old becasue I switch the ruit. Peaches are in season and super yummy now.
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Posted by Robin on August 12th, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking, Recipes |
You, like most people, probably have boxes filled with things that you probably didn’t even realize were still in your possession! Using a label maker will allow you to quickly identify the contents of those mysterious boxes and containers.
 There are so many handy uses for these gadgets. Labeling storage containers in a garage or storage shed is certainly not the only use you’ll find for this device. Have you ever had to disconnect a set of computer cables and ended up wondering what cord goes where when you attempted to reconnect the computer cables? Solve the problem by clearly marking the cords to identify which cable is the mouse, keyboard, and other cords, and you will never have a problem again sorting those computer wires.
 Use the label maker to identify the never-ending assortment of boxes of clothing that the child has to grow into or has already grown out of. Label the food containers and shelves in the pantry.
Would you believe the use of labels even has a psychological effect on us? It puts people in the correct frame of mind compared to no other organizing method. The disparity between a hand written and a machine generated label is enormous. The machine label is much more respected. Labels are just very practical for every day use in our fast-paced, information driven society.
Basically, labels allow you to find things you need quickly and effortlessly without wasting time looking through junk drawers and messy closets. When you start organizing and tagging it permits you to take control of an organizing challenge in a creative, positive way that adds to your sense of achievement.
Label makers are inexpensive and can be used to label just about anything in your home. Making a label takes only seconds and can save minutes or even hours later when locating something at a time when minutes may be critical. Don’t waste time when you can identify everything in your home and office easily by clearly marking objects for easy location.
Put these organizing tips to use today!
To help keep your home organized, download a free copy of the ebook “The Essential Guide to Organizing Your Home”. Download it free here: Organizing Tips.
Lynn Cressy has a love for decorating and shopping for home decor. She owns a home decor web site and writes articles on home decorating and organizing your home and your life.
YOUR TURN!
How do you use your label maker? Answer in the comments below.
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Posted by Robin on August 9th, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking, Organization |
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Matthew 6:31-34
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Posted by Robin on August 5th, 2008
Filed as: Homeschool |
Announcing Cameo and Sweetie, 3 month old Nigerian Dwarf goats
Precious (our female Great Pyrenees) has taken the girls in as her own babies
Rocky is their new daddy
Twins meet the horses
Up on the roof top
The plants are greener on the other side
David jumps out of the pool for a quick photo.
Are You Making Homeschool Decisions?
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Posted by Robin on August 2nd, 2008
Filed as: Animals |
My brilliant daughter Victoria has a coupon system. She watches the sales papers, previews circulars online, combines with online coupons, then shops at Wal-mart where they accept competitor’s coupons.
This is an example of one shopping trip she paid 84 cents plus tax for $54 in products! Works for her.
Products Purchased:
- 5 Scott TP Extra Soft 4 pack. Normally $4.59 price comparison at Albertson $.88 5/$1 off coupons
- 6 bags 15oz Chex Mix normally $3.?? Price comparison at Albertson $1 6/$1 off coupons
- 2 Mitchum Deodorant normally $3.29 price comparison at Target $1.99 2/$2 off coupons
- 6 Hershey’s Bliss $3.79 price comparison at Kmart 2/$5 3/$2 off 2 Walgreens 6 $1 off coupons
- 3 Hershey’s Syrup normally $1.75 on sale 1.50 buy 2 get 1 free coupon
- 18 Head and Shoulders trial size $.97 8 with $3 off coupons two any size
- 2 Great Value On the Go Drink Mixes normally $1.75 on sale $1.50
Cost:
- Sub total before taxes and Coupons was $54.34
- Sub total before taxes and after coupons $.84
- Grand total after taxes $3.91
- 42 items sold for an average of $.02 per item before taxes!
- Pride in frugal my daughter - PRICELESS!
Vicky is teaching me to use the coupons online. I haven’t had the time to search and go to all the sites but this week I saved $15 on an $80 purchase at the grocery store (I’m a light weight).
Once I get the process down better I’ll post step by step instructions. If you don’t know which sites to go to, you waste a lot of time filling in forms for spammers. Consider this post a teaser.
More important topic: Are you feeling unloved or unwanted?
Unloved and Unwanted (Post on my other blog)
Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). Be sure to check out lots of great tips on Works for Me Wednesday.
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- Make Your Own Cleaning Wipes
- Want to Save Money? Want Free Stuff?
- Links for Coupon Users
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Posted by Robin on July 30th, 2008
Filed as: Frugal Tip, Works for Me Wed |
When I purge closets, the garage, toys, etc I have a garbage box and donate box. It is MUCH easier for me to get rid of something if I know someone can use it. Otherwise, I keep items to save “until someone needs it.” Translation: it sits in the closet or garage for several months.
Back to School Purge Tackle
This week, I cleaned out my boys drawers and closets and packed up two large boxes of outgrown clothes and shoes for donation and one box for hand-me-downs (for grandchildren).
This time of year people are getting ready for school. Someone else will benefit from the clothes and my boys’ drawers are much neater.
We have a Goodwill close to our home (Salvation Army is over 30 miles away). Items that are especially valued at both charities:
- Furniture that is in good condition
- Housewares such as lamps, dishes, decorative accessories
- Art and collectibles
- Toys and books in good condition
- Small electrical appliances and electronics such as working VCRs and TVs
- Sporting goods
- Clothing, shoes, coats, and sportswear in good repair
- Linens that are clean and are not ripped or stained
Tackle it Tuesday is a blog meme to motivate you to tackle a project each week. Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in getting our household tasks done. (It doesn’t even have to be housework… just whatever is on your To Do list.) Go over and read through the encouraging posts.
Related:
Unloved and Unwanted (Post on my other blog)
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Posted by Robin on July 28th, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking, Organization, Tackle it Tuesday |
This has been a super week. We’ve been going to the Agriculture Center every day for the Bedford County Fair.
Tuesday night the Horse Whisperer spoke. We learned a lot about connecting with horses and working with them instead of against them.
Yesterday afternoon was 4H Youth Day. The participants played games, ran relay races, and took various agriculture classes (yes, it counts as school work!) Here are a few photos.
Christopher was timid with the chickens.
Egg Race
Small town - we bought our home from the family showing this calf.
Look at these happy faces.
We’re looking forward to the miniature donkey and mule shows on Saturday.
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Posted by Robin on July 24th, 2008
Filed as: Animals, Family, Homeschool |
Tackle clutter with canvas collapsible containers. You can find them at Amazon , Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Stacks and Stacks , Linens and Things, the Container Store, and several places online. They work for me, I use them in almost every room:
They come in pretty colors too like this Simply Shabby Chic™ Canvas Storage Bin in Rose fabric.
Here’s some fun storage boxes from West Elm (out of my price range but this gave me the idea to decorate my boxes. If I figure out how I’ll let you know).
Ikea has some unique boxes and great prices.
The Container Store has several options.
Get More Great Ideas Every Tuesday and Wednesday
Every Tuesday and Wednesday hundreds of bloggers post super organizing ideas, cleaning tips, recipes, parenting helps, and more! You can browse and visit the topics you are interested in or join in by posting your tips on your blog. Use the links below.
Tackle it Tuesday is a blog meme to motivate you to tackle a project each week. Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in getting our household tasks done. (It doesn’t even have to be housework… just whatever is on your To Do list.) Go over and read through the encouraging posts.
Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). You will find TONS of super organizing ideas, and home improvement tips on Works for Me Wednesday. Join in. Post a tip you’ve learned on any topic–anything that has “worked for you” in making your life easier.
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Posted by Robin on July 21st, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking, Organization, Tackle it Tuesday, Works for Me Wed |
My daughter Victoria has 10 boxes of name brand cereal in her pantry and paid less than .70 a box. She buys coupons online. Sound crazy? She saves a bundle by ordering the coupons she will use and combining them with sales. She has 10 boxes of name brand cereal in her pantry and paid less than .70 a box.
She’s teaching me how. I’m starting with dog food coupons (we have 2 Great Pryneese that eat a LOT). For years I have been shopping at Sams or BJs wholesale clubs which is a good way to save money on many items. However, some items are much less expensive at traditional supermarkets with a coupon, particularly if the supermarket doubles coupons.
How does it work? If you buy ten $1.00 off coupons for .99 for your brand of toothpaste combined with a CVS sale, you can save $20.00!
Here’s more info:
One way of saving money with coupons is to pickup your local newspaper in order to get the weekly coupons insert. But there is another way, and that is ordering them online.
One drawback to getting the newspaper is that you never know what coupons will be in it, and if they’re for the items you will use.
The newspaper is not the only way you can obtain coupons. There are a few Websites out there where you can order the coupons you want and will actually use when you go shopping. I know the concept seems strange and you’re probably thinking, “Why should I order coupons when I can get them free?” Technically, if you purchase the newspaper for the coupons they are not free.
Ordering coupons and paying a small service can still save you money in the long run. Let’s take a look at how the savings add up. For example, let’s say you spent $10.00 and ordered 25 coupons all with a face value under $1.00. If you use all the coupons, that’s an automatic discount savings of $25.00. Now you have to subtract what you spent when you ordered the coupons, which is the $10.00. The total savings is now $15.00, which is pretty good. Looking at from this perspective, you really got your money back in grocery savings that you would have normally spent anyways.
The above example is a pretty good savings, but it gets better. Because you ordered coupons all under $1.00 face value, many grocery stores will double coupons up to $1.00! Using the above example, this brings your savings up to $50.00 that’s a substantial savings!
Here are a few tips you can use when ordering coupons:
- Order only what coupons you are going to use. Some sites will allow you to order up to 50 coupons at one time with flat rate service fee. 50 coupons is a lot and you may or may not end up using them all. If you have a friend that also uses coupons, maybe you could split the coupons and costs between the two of you.
- Choose coupons with a $1.00 face value or less. Many stores double coupons and you can double your savings.
- Some sites charge a handling fee per coupon on top of other fees; do the math to see how much you will be saving before placing your order.
- Check expiration dates. The farther off the expiration date is gives you more time to use it.
- Watch for sales! You can save even more money if the product you have a coupon for goes on sale. Here’s a quick example. I had a coupon for 55 cents off dry cereal. The cereal was on sale for $1.67, the store doubled the coupon and I only paid 57 cents for a name brand box of cereal!
- Check more than one store for sales. If you live where more than one grocery store is in close proximity, you can plan your shopping list to buy specific items at different stores using your coupons.
Using these tips, a little planning and ordering your coupons wisely, you can save up anywhere from 50% - 70% on your monthly grocery bill!
Michelle is the webmaster of Coupon Emporium which provides coupons, printable coupons and coupon codes from across the web.
Article Source
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Posted by Robin on July 20th, 2008
Filed as: Frugal Tip |
Please see my update for Robin on www.heartofwisdom.com/blog.
Kathleen
Robin’s friend in Virginia
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Posted by Robin on July 14th, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking |
Decluttering for Geeks, by Evan Goer is Part 1 of a 4-part series). Part 1 deals with decluttering computer components; here’s an excerpt:
Typical decluttering books devote at least a chapter or two about why decluttering is a good thing. To save space, I’m going to assume that you’re already at least partly convinced. Here’s the thumbnail argument:
- decluttering will save you time (you can find your stuff quickly)
- decluttering will save you money (you can live in a smaller house, or avoid using external storage)
- decluttering will save your sanity (you won’t be distracted by constant reminders of abandoned projects and rooms that need cleaning)
And here’s the thumbnail of the thumbnail argument. There but for the grace of God go we all.
Okay, so, computers. Most self-respecting geeks go through a phase of building their own computers. It’s fun to build exactly what you want, fun to compare and contrast different components with your fellow system builders, fun to put together a $500 box that outperforms the $2000 machine of the non-geek. You have powers beyond the ken of mortal men!
But like mathematics and women’s gymnastics, system building is a youngster’s game. Although the truly hardcore might stick with this hobby for decades, the typical geek burns out around their 30th birthday. All of a sudden, debugging overheating problems and scouring the internet for updated drivers becomes… less fun. You’ve reached the magical age where time begins to > money. Maybe it’s because you’re making more money, or maybe it’s because you feel the icy hand of death approaching. Either way, you sell out. You buy a Name Brand Computer, possibly a shiny silver one with a fruity logo. At first you feel guilty, dirty even. Then you get over it.
The end result is closets full of old, decaying systems, plus scads of individual components: Pentium II motherboards, PCI sound cards, and cables. Lots and lots of cables…
Read the rest of Part 1 here.
Visit the Heart of Wisdom Homeschool Blog
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Posted by Robin on July 14th, 2008
Filed as: Homemaking, Organization |
Grocery store prices are rising! Victoria (my third daughter) has been motivating me take advantage of the online grocery coupons. She calls to report her outrageous coupons savings.
If you don’t have a daughter calling you, watch this video to see how you reap the savings of couponing. Barbra Franklin saves for her family and a food pantry for her community
Visit Coupon Junkies at the Homeschool Lounge- A place for members to share coupon codes, online codes, promotional codes, shopping discounts, free-bates, rebates, and free offers.
Visit the Heart of Wisdom Homeschool Blog
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Posted by Robin on July 11th, 2008
Filed as: Frugal Tip |
Ever think of using your leaf blower to clean the garage, barn, or patio? I “dusted” and “swept” our horse barn and metal storage building with a leaf blower. No more sweeping yucky cobwebs on my head!
We have an old wooden barn for our horses and large metal barn (half enclosed for storage and half open for hay, tractor, etc.)
Since no one has been in the barn for a month it was full of cobwebs. Our horses are in another county being trained and due home this week. I was cleaning and organizing the horse barn and hanging hooks for tack. I was using the broom to clean. Then I had a light bulb moment and grabbed the leaf blower.
It worked so well I used it to “dust”and “sweep” our storage barn. I have a lot of shelves full of boxes. The leaf blower “dusted” all the shelves, the top of my freezer, and swept the floor much faster than a broom. I also wind blasted cabinets where I keep the horse medication and brushes.
Then it was off to the patio to blow away all the dirt our two giant dogs drag in daily. It worked so well I’m keeping the leaf blower inside my laundry room to be nearby for a quick “sweep” of the patio daily.
So what do think. Shall I try blasting the legos in the family room? (JOKING)
Get More Great Ideas Every Tuesday and Wednesday
Every Tuesday and Wednesday hundreds of bloggers post super organizing ideas, cleaning tips, recipes, parenting helps, and more! You can browse and visit the topics you are interested in or join in by posting your tips on your blog. Use the links below.
Tackle it Tuesday is a blog meme to motivate you to tackle a project each week. Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in getting our household tasks done. (It doesn’t even have to be housework… just whatever is on your To Do list.) Go over and read through the encouraging posts.
Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). You will find TONS of super organizing ideas, and home improvement tips on Works for Me Wednesday. Join in. Post a tip you’ve learned on any topic–anything that has “worked for you” in making your life easier.
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Posted by Robin on July 7th, 2008
Filed as: Animals, Homemaking, Tackle it Tuesday, Works for Me Wed |
My last post was about a neighbor problem. I thought this an appropriate time to address forgiveness.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.—Eph 3:17-19
The fruit in our life is directly proportional to the grace one has received and given.
The root of bitterness can crush the Spirit’s root and stunt the fruit of the Spirit. The root sits just under the surface–easily overlooked–sucking the nourishment from the tree.
The foundation of Christianity is a based on forgiveness. As we grow in our faith it is easy to overlook this basic and forget how forgiveness impacts us daily. A doctor from Stanford University reports,
“The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce anger, hurt depression, and stress and leads to greater feelings of hope, peace, compassion and self confidence. Practicing forgiveness leads to healthy relationships as well as physical health. It also influences our attitude which opens the heart to kindness, beauty, and love.”
1. Receiving Forgiveness from God
We can strive to stay away from temptation and try to be good but there are always areas that remain sinful. We may harbor bitterness, lose tempers, or make hurtful comments to others. It is hard to accept failures and sometimes harder to confess them. But God calls us to confess and repent to receive His forgiveness. True repentance involves regret, mourning, and commitment not to continue in the sin.
God hates sin, but He loves the sinner, so much that He paid the price for sin Himself. Once the sin is covered by the Blood of Christ, it is blotted out! God doesn’t keep a record of our sins. Our forgiveness is total and complete.“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25).
Faith and forgiveness are like hand and glove; they fit together perfectly. God tells us how we can be forgiven; we just ask with faith. First must have a repentant heart, stop the sin, and ask for God’s forgiveness.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9.
God doesn’t withhold the opportunity for forgiveness from anyone.
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalms 86:5
2. Self-Forgiveness
Once we receive forgiveness from God we also need to learn to forgive ourselves. If God doesn’t hold a sin against us why beat ourselves up over it? We all make mistakes. We walk in the flesh and we walk in the Spirit. When we walk in our flesh we sin. Once we repent and ask forgiveness we must forgive our self and go on.
There is nothing we can do to change the past, but we can affect our future. Harboring regret and negative emotions will make us bitter and resentful. We need to resist dwelling on things we can’t take back and accept God’s forgiveness.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8.
God wants you to know that there is nothing you can do to make him love you any more today, and nothing you can do that will make him love you any less. He just loves you.
If you’ve never known the joy of simply living in God’s acceptance instead of trying to earn it, your most exciting days in Christ are ahead of you. People who learn to live out of a genuine
love relationship with the God of the universe will live in more power, more joy and more righteousness than anyone motivated by fear of his judgment.–Wayne Jacobson in He Loves Me
3. Forgiving Others
Are you bitter? Do you hold ought against another? Are you harboring resentment against someone from your past? Does the memory of the hurt and pain overwhelm you again and again? Does anxiety erode your mind as events plays over and over? If you cannot forget, have you forgiven?
When someone hurts us we never recover until we forgive. Unforgiveness causes deep pain and leads to hideous bondage resulting in bitterness, rage, anger, and with malice (Ephesians 4:31). Choosing unforgiveness is a life of bitterness and torment leading to a life of bondage to addictions and compulsive behaviors in hope of alleviating continuous emotional stress. It is agonizing and growing turbulence raging below the surface.
I recently found things I thought I had dealt with and let go. But during a weak time the pain and anger surfaced. I recognized I needed to forgive again.
Forgiveness is a choice–a spiritual decision–not to hold a sin against a person any longer. It is not based on what is deserved, but on grace. A tremendous release occurs when we are able to forgive. We must forgive others before requesting forgiveness from God. (Matthew 6:14-15).
Forgiving does not mean you can’t say something was wrong. You can encourage a compassionate willingness to forgive, yet retain the vigor of conviction that all people must be fully accountable of their behavior.
4. Receiving Forgiveness from Others
Receiving forgiveness from others is much harder than receiving forgiveness from God. God is faithful to forgive. People can go either way. The sin natures does not like to forgive and forget.
If you have a repentant heart and ask someone for forgiveness you have done your part. The forgiveness act is up to them.
5. What do you do if someone won’t forgive you?
Have you sincerely apologized? Do you have to keep asking for forgiveness? Do you need to beg? What if they say they forgive you but continue to bring up the problem or the sin? What if you get angry because they didn’t forgive you? This can be a serious cycle resulting in a vicious circle of bitterness. Here are the steps to take:
- Forgive them for not forgiving you. Pray that God will open their eyes and their heart. They will reap what is sown (bitterness and unforgiveness). If you have truly forgiven them you don’t want them to reap these things. Pray for them.
- Be patient. It is natural, human to get mad and resentful when you try to mend differences and the other person won’t respond. This may be something you will have to give to God daily.
- Let it go. Don’t continue to apologize, as long as you have done so sincerely. Don’t play it over in your head, it only stirs up anger. Find it in you to demonstrate love, concern, and the desire to improve the relationship.
- Focus on God’s perfect forgiveness. Psalm 103:12 says It is possible for the Lord to look at us without seeing our sins because when he forgave us, he removed our sins as far as the east is from the west“
For More on Forgiveness
In a recent radio broadcast, Nancy Leigh DeMoss said, “People who are not forbearing, who are not forgiving, generally become hard and cold. They often become depressed and even physically sick. There are many physical ailments today that doctors will tell you are affected by our unwillingness to forgive.” You can listen to the full broadcast at Forgiveness: Setting Your Captives Free.
Also see Nancy’s excellent book Choosing Forgiveness: Your Journey to Freedom
This post is from my Heart of Wisdom blog archive.
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Posted by Robin on July 3rd, 2008
Filed as: Encouragement |
Putting up a new mesh fence around our home works for me (at least for now) . We have 20 acres completely fenced, but because of the angry neighbor have to tighten the play area for the dogs and children.
Our neighbor doesn’t like the dogs barking. About a month ago he began shooting at our dogs. We have two Great Pyrenees. They don’t bark a lot but they do bark at squirrels, rabbits, badgers, deer, foxes and other things that run in our yard frequently. This is the drawing I made to mark off the area for the new fence:
Click image for better view
When the shooting first started DH and I discussed it and decided the best course of action would be to talk. So I went over and gave the guy our phone number and said please call us if our dogs bother you. We never met him before this. He was civil and agreed. DH went over another day to touch base and make sure he was happy. We don’t want an angry man with a gun nearby. We began tying up the dogs near the house (out of the neighbor’s vision and range).
All was quiet until last weekend. My children and hubby were in the pool and both dogs were tied in our yard but barking because the neighbor had company in his pool. Out of the blue we heard screaming “Shut those *%$#@ dogs up and shots were fired. We sent the kids in the house.
Dh and I decided we needed to report him to the police. I went to get the phone and by the time I got got back the guy drove up on a motorcycle in our driveway screaming and yelling and waving his arms like a mad man to shut our dogs up because he can’t enjoy 5 minutes of quiet. I believe he was drunk. It was 11 am. He was so wild I called 911.
If he would have called as I had asked I would have taken the dogs in the house.
He was gone by the time police arrived. The dogs never barked once while the police were here (they bark at people who shoot at them). We had a trespass warning issued (so he can’t return). BUT the police said he could shoot and we couldn’t do anything about it. He told the police he was shooting into the ground.
Once the police left, he marched up and down the fence line with a rifle shooting every few minutes. We can only hope nothing sets him off again. What if a bullet goes into my window and shoots my children? I pray for safety daily.
Tightening the area my dogs and children play in works for me for now. I also have a tripod set up on my front porch to video tape any shots fired into my property (as a deterrent). Here are photos of the new fence and front gates.
We chose mesh because we will be getting goats soon.
Hard to believe anyone would risk hurting these guys:
Get a Gun?
By now you are wondering why we don’t get a gun. The only thing worse that an angry drunk with a gun would be a menopausal protective mother with a gun. It just wouldn’t be a good witness to shoot my neighbor. We will lay low and pray. God has a way of working these things out.
Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). Be sure to check out lots of great tips on Works for Me Wednesday.
Related:
- Miniature Horse Driving School
- Puppies Meet the Miniature Horses
- Miniature Horses on the Porch!
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Posted by Robin on July 2nd, 2008
Filed as: Animals, Works for Me Wed |
Have you started thinking of your July 4th menu? We always have the same BBQ chicken, hot dogs, macaroni salad and watermelon. I’m going to start a new tradition with this yummy dish for dessert.
The farmers’ market has peaches and raspberries and I found this yummy recipe in the The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook |
