Merry Christmas, "The True Reason"

   I wanted to take a minute to wish each of you a "Merry Christmas" and share with you a few of my favorite treats of this Holiday! With all the hustle and bustle we sometimes forget the the real reason of Christmas. Here is my favorite song to as a reminder of the true reason,  "O Holy Night"!  God Bless you all!

Luke 2: ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

"Garden Tool Maintenance 101"

   Well we talked about in "Things to do, in the Garden, in the fall" garden tool maintenance and in "Winterizing Your Lawn Mower" about the importance of maintenance. Now lets put it to use!  You will just need a few things:

Tools Needed

1) Steel brush, to brush all of the hard debris and rust off the steel surfaces!
2)Bucket of warm soapy water, to wash down all the tools.
3) WD40, is to treat the steel parts of the hand tools to prevent rust.
4) Tung Oil or Linseed Oil, is to treat the wooden handles of the tools for prevention of rot and to keep them strong.
5) Old Rags, washing and application of  oils.
6) Spray Paint, for spray painting certain tools.
7) A file, for sharping.

  
  Tool maintenance is another not so fun but necessary gardening job, that again must people want even know you have done. I take that back your children and grand children will because if you take time to do this you will be able to pass your tools down to them!
  With the steel brush, Soapy water and Rags, you are going to clean the tools of all dirt and/or rust. After you let the dry use the file to sharpen the tools that may need an edge. Then Spray down the metal parts with WD40 to prevent rusting, unless you are gonna paint the surface. If you are gonna paint the surface DO NOT spray it with any oil, the paint won't stick! Finally, I used Tung Oil and an old rag to rub all the wood surfaces down, you can do this 2 or 3 times if you would like for more protection. Just let then set in sun to dry before putting away for the winter!

Before Cleaning

Before Cleaning

  When you look at the tools in the picture's, think of the money saved from taking care of them. I only bought one of the shovels the rest were pasted down to me from Dad and Grandpa's! So you can see how frugal this is in the long run and we can use every penny saved in this economy today!

After, Just Like New!

  Final Tip: My Dad had a 5 gallon bucket of sand sitting on the inside of the door of his shop. He would mix used motor oil in with the sand. Ever time he used his tools and would return to put them up he push the steel ends of the shovel (for example) down into the oily sand. This would clean the dirt of and give them an oily protection from rust. I haven't done it yet, only because I just remembered it while I was cleaning my tools. That will be next!

"If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider “not spiritual work” I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and the exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love." ~ Amy Carmichael

Linked With:
Harvest Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Back Yard Farming Connection Hop, The Country Garden Showcase, Teach Me Tuesday, Frugal Tuesdays, Simple Living Link-up, Garden Blogger Bloom Day, Frugal Days Sustainable Way, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Wednesday Link Party, Winsome Wednesdays, Encourage One Another, Wordless Wednesdays, Down Home Blog Hop, Country Homemaker Hop, Home and Garden Thursday, Rural Thursday, Fall Harvest, Thursdays Favorite Things, Fridays Fertilizer Flaunts, Fantabulus Fridays, Weekend Whatever, Farm Girl Friday, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, On it, In it and Around it, A Pinteresting Party, Sweet Saturday 

"Roof Maintenance isn't fun but Nessesary"

 Maintenance on your house or garden shed roof isn't fun but necessary, if you want your roof to last for a long time. Its part of "Fall Garden maintenance"! There are just a hand full of things to do but I think the must important one is cleaning the debris of so as it won't lay there and rot and must of it makes great compost anyway! Probably the second most important is cleaning out the gutters. If you don't do this the water tends to work its way back under the shingles and cause the roof boards to rot and at extreme, water can leak into the building and cause major damage on the inside!
  So here are the tools you need: 1) Ladder 2)Small hand shovel 3) A Broom 4) Hammer 5) A tube of black tar and caulk gun and 6) Gutter guards if you choose.

Debris on roof!

Very full Gutters!

  As you can tell by the pictures my workshop/garden shed set under trees. So I needed to climb up on the roof and clean, so why not do the other maintenance while up there? Lets face it a roof is something you want to last for a long time!
  1) Use the broom to sweep off all debris. As you do this look for roofing nail heads that may have worked up. When you see this situation, lift up the shingle to expose nail head, put a little tar under the head and drive it down with the hammer. The tar will seal any leak that may have been there. Also look for any damaged shingles, you may have to replace those as well.
  2) Use the little hand shovel to clean out the gutters. As you go give the gutter nails a little tap with the hammer, the nails tend to work out over time.
  3) To make life simpler next time you could do like I did and put gutter guards on. There are many to choose from, you just pick what you think is best!

Gutter Guards

  Like I said its not fun work and must people won't even know you did it but it is very necessary to the long life of a roof, especially if you have trees around. The work of a gardener is never done! 

Matthew 8:8  The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed."

Linked With:
Harvest Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Back Yard Farming Connection Hop, The Country Garden Showcase, Teach Me Tuesday, Frugal Tuesdays, Simple Living Link-up, Garden Blogger Bloom Day, Frugal Days Sustainable Way, Wise Woman Link Up, Winsome Wednesdays, Encourage One Another, Wordless Wednesdays, Down Home Blog Hop, Country Homemaker Hop, Home and Garden Thursday, Rural Thursday, Fall Harvest, Thursdays Favorite Things, Fridays Fertilizer Flaunts, Fantabulus Fridays, Weekend Whatever, Farm Girl Friday, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, On it, In it and Around it, A Pinteresting Party, Sweet Saturday 

"TGP" for Small Groups, Home Schoolers, Families and More!

Me Gardening!

  As you know, one of the most important SEEDS I like to plant is that of the Gospel. I look at the body as one of the most important gardens that we can tend as we live on the earth. And our children need to be cultivated in the right direction, so as to be ready for what this old nasty world has to offer!
  Well my wife had been looking for a Bible study to do with my daughter for quit some time. She finally came across one called, "The Gospel Projected", she told me about it and we decided to buy it. I thought it was just towards teenagers and Kids but I  was wrong. As we sat and went over the first lesson, I started learning a lot! Its not just for kids! It's for everybody, Adults, Students and Kids.
 From what I have read and through our own use, there are many other application that it can be used for. Home Schools could use it as a 3 year elective, Small Bible home groups could use it, Use it like we are, for a family study or as it is attended, for your church to have an in-depth study of the Bible! Pastors do your church a favor!

From the site:

  "The Gospel Project is a Bible study resource that invites Adults, Students, and Kids of all ages to dive deeply into God’s story of redemption through Jesus Christ. In every lesson, participants are immersed in the gospel and learn how when the gospel works on them, they become a part of the story, too, the very hands and feet in God’s gospel project.
   Led by General Editor Ed Stetzer and Managing Editor Trevin Wax, The Gospel Project is designed to unify an entire church under a single Christ-centered curriculum. Separate study plans for adults, students, and kids ensure the proper focus and depth for each age group."

  I am not gonna try to sell you on it, I am just so impressed that I wanted to share it with you so that maybe you can share it with your Pastor or other Christian friends. I truly believe that you will have a wonderful time learning Gods Word.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as we are going to!

Preview 1 Month Free! And how to buy

 

 

 

 

Linked With:
Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday, Harvest Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Back Yard Farming Connection Hop, The Country Garden Showcase, Teach Me Tuesday, Frugal Tuesdays, Simple Living Link-up, Garden Blogger Bloom Day, Frugal Days Sustainable Way, Walking Redeemed, Wise Woman Link Up, Winsome Wednesdays, Encourage One Another, Wordless Wednesdays, Down Home Blog Hop, Country Homemaker Hop, Home and Garden Thursday, Rural Thursday, Fall Harvest, Thursdays Favorite Things, Fridays Fertilizer Flaunts, Fantabulus Fridays, Weekend Whatever, Farm Girl Friday, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, On it, In it and Around it, A Pinteresting Party, Sweet Saturday  

Cleaning Bathtubes and Dog "stuff", with ease!

  My wonderful wife found a better way to clean the bath tube and I wanted to share this with you. My wife has asthma really bad and must smells and chemicals really hurt her lungs and send her into a asthmatic fit. So she is always trying to find an alternative to toxic chemicals to clean with. She normally uses "Mrs. Meyers" but when she was surfing on the web a while back she stumbled across a mixture that not only doesn't affect her lungs but it cleans the bath tube like know other thing I have seen. I didn't even have to scrub that hard when cleaning it for her last time, that's impressive!

  And if that ain't impressive enough, my daughter had a friend stay over last night and they played in the back yard. Well, we have a dog and I guess I didn't get all the "land mines" scooped up. Her friend step in,,, well you know, lol! When I was cleaning them for her, they appeared clean but that smell was still there. You know the smell, you just can't get if off it seems. So a thought came to me to try the new cleaner, so I did and low and behold the smell came totally off! Now that's totally impressive!
 So what is this totally impressive cleaner I speak of? It's a mixture of Dawn Dish liquid (the blue original) and White Vinegar. Do NOT use the concentrated dish liquid though, very hard to clean off! 
  The Recipe:
  Equal Parts of Dawn Dish Liquid and White Vinegar
  Mix in a spray bottle of your choice
  Microwave for 2 minutes
  Shake again
  Spray on surface to clean, wait a few minutes and rinse
  We use a sponge with scrubber on the tube 

Well I hope you have as must success as we did and if you have anymore uses for it please feel free to share. We love a funny story!

  

"Properly remembering our past sins with shame will deter us from repeating them and help us receive God's saving grace. When we recall our failures through the lens of Christ's mercy, God produces in us ongoing repentance and deepening humility." ~ Robert D. Jones

Linked With:
Harvest Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Back Yard Farming Connection Hop, The Country Garden Showcase, Teach Me Tuesday, Frugal Tuesdays, Simple Living Link-up, Garden Blogger Bloom Day, Frugal Days Sustainable Way, Walking Redeemed, Wise Woman Link Up, Winsome Wednesdays, Encourage One Another, Wordless Wednesdays, Down Home Blog Hop, Country Homemaker Hop, Home and Garden Thursday, Rural Thursday, Fall Harvest, Thursdays Favorite Things, Fridays Fertilizer Flaunts, Fantabulus Fridays, Weekend Whatever, Farm Girl Friday, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, On it, In it and Around it, Natural Life Link-Up,  A Pinteresting Party, Sweet Saturday