Technical Dificulties

Tuesday afternoon it finally happened ... the very old laptop computer I use CRASHED - totally crashed.  Thus, we are having some up-grade work done on our older desktop so I will have a computer for all my computing needs - like blogging and such. While it's in the shop, I will be away.  During my absence, I pray God abundantly blesses you and your family.

Bow-Wow, Baaa & HooRay!

There has been quite a bit happening around the B homestead.  EJ has been pestering me to post some photos of Piper, his black & tan hound.  She is growing so much and so fast - I didn't realize she would grow as big as it appears she will.

Piper

Piper playing w/ EJ's inner tube

 Can you say Baaa?  EJ and OG purchased their 4-H lambs 11 days ago.  They are CRAZY about them.  I am already wondering how they will ever let the sheep go to market - but to market they must go.  Anyone who knows me personally will be SHOCKED to find out that the lamb crib is in our basement.  Yes, that's right, I am housing livestock inside my home!  That means I have officially been transformed into a farm girl.  Of course it's only temporary.  As soon as the lambs are a little older and can stand the cold night time temps our region gets this time of year, they will be relocated to the unheated, non-electric barn.

EJ & Lucy

Lucy & Looney Tunes w/ little Oscar nudging in for a bottle too.

Most importantly, we have a new U.S. Airman in the family.  Mrs.A's oldest daughter just graduated from Air Force Basic Training.  Our entire family is so very proud.  We both have children who have/are serving as U.S. Sailors and U.S. Airmen.  I can't help but wonder if any of our remaining younger children will also serve in our nation's military.

Frugal Feasting Friday

Last night's supper cost only $.39 per person.  Yes, that says thirty-nine cents!  I'm sure you are protesting, "There's no way!  You have to be exaggerating!"

Here's how I did it ...

EJ cooks supper on Wednesdays.  This week I taught him how to make vegetable beef soup in the crock pot which he served with fruited jello salad and slices of homemade whole wheat bread.  After everyone was satisfied and full, we had 2 c. of vegetable beef soup left over.

Yesterday evening, I warmed up the leftover beef soup, added thickening, made a double pie crust & turned that little bit of soup into beef pot pie.  It was served with a lettuce & tomato salad.  This meal fed 5 people with 1 serving of beef pot pie leftover for Mr.B's lunch pail.

Here's the cost breakdown:
vegetable beef soup - a leftover
pie crust & thickening - $.83
lettuce & tomato salad - $1.26
Total:  $2.09 OR $.39 per person (6 servings pot pie / 5 servings salad)

Stewardship of ones resources is not just about purchasing sale items or even second hand items.  It involves  adopting a lifestyle free of waste and making the most of what one has.  I could have served the 2 cups of leftover soup to Mr.B or the littles for dinner accompanied by some fruit or a salad.  However, by preparing a pie crust and adding thickening, I was able to stretch what many would see as 1 or 2 servings of food into 6 servings.

I hope you will be inspired to make the most of your resources.

"The Most Terrifying Words ...

... in the English language are:  I'm from government and I'm here to help." -Ronald Reagan

Early this morning, whilst I was the only one creeping about in our home, I made the mistake of turning on the news.  I wasn't shocked by what I heard, but I wonder how many Americans will be.  The story left me more discouraged for our nation, more discouraged by not understanding why so many people in our nation seem to lack the ability or desire to sincerely think about consequences.

The specific story that enhanced my discouragement was about the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare.  Back in 2007 & 2008, I ran around beating my "anti Obama drum".  It was most often met with "eye rolling".  After the Affordable Care Act was passed through a back door appropriations bill as "not a tax", then upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court as a "legal tax", I again beat my anti Obama drum, this time warning of astronomical healthcare cost increases resulting in serious, or catastrophic  lifestyle changes for many middle class Americans, & I was, again, often met with "eye rolling".

When the healthcare debate began I patiently listened to person after person say, "Well, I don't mind paying a little more to help those who can't afford it."  I would respond with, "Then you should give your extra money directly to struggling person or family.  If the federal government is allocating it, I guarantee it will be a whole lot more than a little bit."

This morning's news story stated that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has revealed that the healthcare insurance cost "caps" contained in the Affordable Care Act applies only to individual coverage.  These caps DO NOT apply to spouses and/or children as in family coverage.  The CBO estimates any family that does not qualify for government healthcare subsidies will pay as much as $15,700.00 per year for family health insurance coverage.  They also said that young healthy individuals will see their health care insurance increase by as much as 190% ($2,500 annually would increase to $7,250).  The news story did not reveal the income levels / requirement to qualify for government subsidies.  From my point of view, government subsidy is the same as well fare assistance.

Some folks may say they don't worry about that expense or having to qualify for "well fare" because they are employed by a large corporation that provides health insurance benefits for them and their family.  However, the CBO also estimates that in 2014, more than 7 million employees will loose employer provided health insurance benefits due eliminated employer benefits.  IF you happen to work for a company that continues to provide employee health insurance, Do the math - $15,700 to insure your family (if you aren't paying it, then someone else or your company is)  means that most will not see a pay raise for many years / many will see salary reductions; you and some of your co-workers could / will be laid off due to "downsizing"; if you are fortunate enough to keep your job, your hours and work load will significantly increase; AND the Affordable Care Act also requires, beginning 2014, you to pay income tax on that $15,700 benefit (currently employees do not pay income tax on employer provided benefits.).

Obama said, "If you choose, you can keep your current health care, you can keep your doctor".  Obama told us the Affordable Care Act would make health insurance affordable for EVERY family and individual in America.  The government was extending a helping hand to all.

I have said and continue to say, "Yeah, you can keep anything you want as long as you have the money to pay for it".

Will you get to keep your current healthcare?  Will you get to keep your current doctor?  Will you be able to maintain your current lifestyle?

Ronald Reagan - "The most terrifying words in the English language are:  I'm from the government and I'm here to help you."

Some Pondering

What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today?

Locked Out and Invisible

There are a large number of home schooled children in our county, more than 30, when compared to our local public school which has approximately 78 students (grades pre-K - 12) enrolled for the 2012-2013 school year.  School bus service is available only within 3 miles of town.  Farm kids can live 25 or more miles out of town and must be driven into a bus stop 3 miles outside of town or driven to the school's front doors.  I personally think this lack of school bus service contributes to the number of home schooled students within our county.

During the past 16 months, I've had an opportunity to meet many people and families within our community.  I've discovered that a very large number seem to be employed by our county's public education system.  There are administrators, teachers, janitors, kitchen personnel, teacher's aides, grounds keepers, maintenance, etc.  It seems that there are at least 2 employees for every student enrolled in the school.

When we lived down home, my personal experiences found most school personnel to be more supportive of our decision to home educate than the general public.  However, up here those tables are most definitely flipped.  When in a group setting, those employed by the public school system assertively ignore me and other home educators and leave us out of conversations - I even had one person step in front of me and turn their back to my face!  Most just seem to pretend that we are not in the room.  At first I was quite shocked by this blatant rudeness and prejudice.

However, after living here for more than 16 months, I've found that it's not necessarily home education itself these people have issues with.  It seems to have more to do with the allocation of educational funds.  Apparently, our county's public education employees believe they are grossly underpaid and they've decided that home education is a contributing factor to their low wages, remember approximately 40% of our county's students are home educated.  Although every home educator within our county pays the same amount of local, state and federal taxes as anyone else within their income bracket, our state and federal educational system allocates education funding based upon enrollment numbers.  Fewer enrolled students equal fewer dollars.

I am very disturbed that our local public education personal would place blame for a lack of funding on home educators - remember, we pay just as much in taxes as anyone else within our income brackets.  Why aren't  the public education employees taking their issues up with the education bureaucracies who allocate those tax dollars, regardless of whom they've been collected from?  Home educators do not receive, nor want, any tax breaks for opting out of the public education systems.

This has become another reason added to my list of why we choose home education.  If public education employees are so very uninformed as to how their employer, the education bureaucracies, work - why would I want them educating my children?  State and federal bureaucrats need to be held accountable for educational funding - not home educators.

40th Anniversary

Today, January 22, marks the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade ruling that resulted in the legalization of abortion in the United States.  According to the National Right to Life Committee there have been 54,559,615 legal abortions in the United States since 1973.  That equals 158 per minute OR 2 1/2 every second of every day.

For those of us who are Pro-Life, lets make some decisions to get involved in the movement to change our culture and offer help to women and men facing unplanned pregnancies so they will choose life.  Heartbeat International has many pregnancy care center affiliates across the U.S. that minister to women with unplanned pregnancies.  These centers provide free pregnancy testing, nutrition education, mentoring classes, mothering and fathering classes, birthing classes, marriage enrichment programs and financial courses.  These sorts of programs and classes give women and men facing unplanned pregnancies hope and it helps them make informed and honest decisions that usually result in the decision to choose life.

Equally important are abortion recovery groups like Forgiven and Set Free, Surrendering the Secret, and Rachel's Vineyard.  If Christians are to impact our nation for Life, it is vital that we offer those affected by abortion, including men, the hope and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.  When those affected by abortion accept Christ's forgiveness, it enables them to share their personal experiences and realities of abortion with others.  Thus, arming those facing unplanned pregnancies with truths about how an abortion choice could affect one's emotions, mental health, and relationships.

Today, won't you pray and ask the Lord where you would be most effective in the fight for Life?

I Didn't Realize It ...

... until today.  I so very much missed being serenaded by OG every single day while my family was away.

My afternoons are normally filled with the soothing sounds of the acoustic guitar and OG's sultry and soulful voice.  Hearing her play and sing is so very pleasant as I move from room to room performing various household tasks.

When AB grew up and left home, he took the beautiful evening melodies of his violin with him.  When OG began playing guitar, she brought the beauty of music back into our home.  This afternoon was the first time she'd played since returning home.  Oh! how I had missed it.