Thank You Lord

I received this e-mail from a very good friend this morning. It sure did convict my heart, and I thought it to good to keep to myself. I pray this is a blessing to you all. Michelle

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN

This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen:

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.'

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.

'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.'

'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.'

'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.'

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'

'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.'

'If you have never experienced the fear of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world..'

'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are envied by and more blessed than three billion people in the world.'

'If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare.'

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

ATTN: Acknowledge Dept

'Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message, and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it.'

If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on? I thank God for everything, especially all my family and friends!

Blessings with love ...

Making Your Own Vacuum Sealed Freezer Bags

It is Frugal Friday over at http://www.biblicalwomanhood.com/ and I have to share a great money saving tip for you today. Our home school group went Blueberry picking on Wed and I was preparing the berries for freezing. I am also making homemade blueberry jam for the first time later today. I will keep you posted how it all turns out! At any rate, I was reading that fruit freezes better in a vacuum sealed bag. I did have a coupon for the new Zip lock Vacuum Sealer but it had expired. Figures, they were on sale this week at Price Chopper.

I couldn't squeeze that into my grocery budget this week, and I had read, Are you ready for this...........


Stick a straw in the end of the bag, and suck the air out, bend the straw so as not to let more air in, and continue the process until all the air is removed! It worked like a charm:) and the cost was almost nonexistent. How much does 1 straw cost in a pack of 50? Less than I care to calculate. I was so excited that it worked. I got all the blueberries bagged and in my freezer and the vacuum seal didn't even cost me a dime. Praise the Lord!!


Have a blessed day Michelle

I did it, I did it, I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I DID IT!!! I successfully posted a picture to my blog this afternoon. It took a fair amount of time but I did it!! Praise the Lord! Any who, I posted a picture of me and my honey from the couples retreat that we attended this past week. The picture was on our Church web site, so I was able to upload from there. For all you computer Gurus this is no big deal. But let me tell you it is a HUGE deal for little ole me!! I hope you enjoy the picture!! Michelle

P.S. The picture was taken at the top of Pinnacle Mtn. We had a bon fire up there on the last night of the retreat. It was great fun smooching with my sweetie under the stars!

Please Be Patient With Me!

Fellow readers, as I have shared with you many times,I am frugal. I live a frugal lifestyle and when I say that I am not kidding. Hence we don't own cell phones nor do we own a digital camera. I know many blogs post pictures,and I am in the process of learning to do that.

I am still learning this whole blogging thing but that takes lots of time., and while I love and pray for you all, my family and service to God are the major priorities in my life. I am learning and working on making this site more user friendly. Just be patient with me. Soon I hope to post some fun pictures from a friends camera.

I have asked for an inexpensive digital camera for Christmas. Knowing my wonderful Hubby he'll do what He can to get it for me! God sure is good.

I do have a question for you all, does anyone know how to link to a previous post on your own site? I've been reading the help tutorial through blogger, but still am a bit confused. If any one has some quick tips for me I sure would appreciate an e-mail. You can reach me at rnmwilkins@yahoo.com Thanks in advance for your help.I hope and pray all is going well for you all and frugality is becoming a reality in your lives!! Blessings, Michelle

I Am So Thankful For My Man!!!

We arrived home late yesterday afternoon from a 2 day couples retreat in the Helderberg mountains here in upstate NY. What a wonderful time we had with other believers from our Church.

We had great Biblical teaching from Bro. Jim Belisle and his wife, Linda. We had split sessions with specific training for Men and Ladies. Yes, God did make us different. In the marriage, we each have a specific role to fill. Despite what many of us have learned from the world and observing worldly marriages, God has a very definite plan for marriage. For those of us not raised in Christian homes, with strong examples of a Christian marriage to observe and follow, these teachings are invaluable.

I am thankful to my parents. Despite the many obstacles, they stayed together. They are both in Heaven now and I am so thankful each were saved before their deaths, but Christ was not the head of their marriage. However they were committed to each other and the marriage.

I am so thankful for the marriage the Lord has blessed me with. I am so very thankful for the Husband God provided me with. While my husband was not saved when we were married, God through His merciful grace saw fit to see him saved!! God spoke to my heart many times over the last few days on becoming all I can be as a wife to the wonderful husband God gave me. We live in such an egocentric, all me society that even in Christian homes that worldly philosophy can filter in if we are not careful. I have read Debi Pearls book, Created to be His Helpmeet and have found the teachings contained in that book, based on the Word of God, the most helpful book on a wife's role in marriage that I have ever read. I highly recommend it!!!!! Of course the exception is to the Bible. God's word gives a very clear plan on a Husband's and Wife's role in the relationship of marriage.

I have read the book through several times and refer to it often, as I sometimes get "Stinkin thinkin" in regards to my marriage. It is not my Husband's problem to fix, it is mine. When I have let worldly philosophy creep in, whether it be through magazines, friends, family etc. I get out of my God ordained role and start thinking wrong. I must keep my eyes and heart fixed on Christ. That's why as Christian wives it is so very important for us to "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

I love my husband with my whole heart and it is my prayer that God will always give me the grace to be the best wife I can be!! Michelle

We are settling In

Things are finally starting to get back to normal around here. This past weekend I blessed our house (Yep, I cleaned it) and splurged on a new fall scented candle! It was so cozy around here! Here in upstate NY we are having some cool temperatures and I have noticed many of the trees changing color. Hard to believe but Fall is coming soon. I love fall, really I do. I am just not sure if I am ready for it in August:)

The cooler temperatures have definitely started me thinking on planning out my Christmas gifts this year. I am going to be making table runners for friends and family so I need to get planning. JoAnn's Fabric has been having some great coupons deals and I plan on a shopping trip early next week to select some special Christmas fabric. Only 128 days until Christmas!

How ya all doing with my frugal tip of planning and preparing for Christmas in July. I hope you are all squirrelling away a little money here and there, and picking up gifts now for what you know is coming in December!! Plan, plan, plan!!!!!

I plan on making pickles next week (first time) and am excited about my first canning lesson. My grandmother canned everything but the kitchen sink. I have fond memories of my sister and I going down to the "root cellar" and picking the evening meal vegetable from rows and rows of canned jars that my grandmother worked so hard to prepare. I remember the big pot (pressure cooker) on the stove and her house being filled with wonderful aromas of something. My grandmother died when I was twelve so that memory is from sometime before then and it is very vivid in my mind till this day. I hope I make you proud gram.

We are gearing up for school and looking forward to our first home school trip, August 27th. We are going blueberry picking!! We are all wearing blue shirts and packing a picnic lunch. Our family picked a little earlier this year and the blueberries were as big as grapes. I am looking forward to a fruitful day of picking and plan on freezing the majority of what we pick!

I pray you are all doing well and look forward to continuing with the "Coming Home Series" in the next week. Have a blessed night! Michelle

Were Home

Hello out there!!! We arrived home late Friday evening from Teen camp! Praise the Lord for His safety and travel mercies. We had a great week at camp and heard some red hot preaching from Evangelist Kevin Walker.

There were over 300 teens that attended this week of camp and the facilities were busting at the seams. Our teens did very well, with many decisions made for the Lord. One of the Teens in our group won the Servants Heart Award and our son won an MVP award for football. We had several Teens in our group pass the Bible Quiz. All in all it was a fruitful week at camp.

However the Lord worked differently in my heart at camp this year. This is the fifth year that my Husband and I have attended camp as counselors. In the previous years of camp the Lord had used the preaching of His word to grow my own walk with Him. I grew in knowledge and understanding, and my cup truly was running over from the Spiritual blessings at camp.

This year the Lord burdened my heart. It was as if this year the Lord said it is time I use this time for you in a new way. I believe I wasn't spiritually ready for these burdens prior to this time. For God His way is perfect. I came home burdened in 3 specific areas.

1. I am more burdened for a lost and dying world. I have purposed to
become a better soul winner. He that winneth souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

2. I am more burdened for the Teens of our Country. We are losing Christian
Teens to the world in record numbers. I am specifically burdened for the Teens
in our Youth group.

3. I am more burdened to make intercession for our Teens and pray for them
daily and by specific need in their lives. The Teens in our youth group need our
prayers. That may be the most important thing I can do for them. 1 Timothy 2:1

There is a real adversary out there who is roaming about seeking whom he may devour.(1Peter5:7) Folks we are engaged in a real spiritual warfare for our Country's youth. (Ephesians6: 10-12) I realize that this post may be a tad bit heavy and not at all to do with frugal living, but I am first and foremost a Christian. My relationship with the Lord is the number one priority in my life. You might ask, what about your husband and child? If my relationship with the Lord is first and right, then all other relationships in my life will be o.k. Don't misunderstand me, they won't be perfect. They will be how the Lord has chosen them to be for me. I have had seasons in my life when my relationships were difficult. We as women carry many relationship roles, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, co-worker, church member etc....... yet when I was having the most difficulty, I was also struggling with my walk with the Lord. I am so thankful His mercy is renewed every morning. Great is Thy Faithfulness!!!!!!!!

On a lighter note: I went grocery shopping yesterday (the first time in 3 weeks) and did awesome. My subtotal was $210.28, after advantage card and coupons(which are doubled up to $1)I paid $74.79!!! A total savings of $139.77 Actually a little more since I have a $5.00 rebate to send in for Pert shampoo. Praise the Lord!!

I am looking forward to regular blogging and some great frugal tips. Also stay tuned for some great fall recipes. I pray you are all having a fun, safe and frugal summer!!!! Michelle

Update

Many of you may have thought I had fallen off the face of the earth. Not so .......It has just been incredibly busy around here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you praying for our friends son Elijah, thank you. It has been almost 10 days, and Elijah has had no new seizure activity. Glory to God!!! I am grateful to all of you that may have lifted him to the throne of grace.

VBS was a great Spirit filled week! We had 99 children come thru our VBS this year, with many children coming to know Christ as their Saviour. We even had the parent of one of our children accept Christ as her personal Saviour. God truly blessed our efforts of this Vacation Bible School. Elijah's Dad was the director of VBS and he had to miss two days. Everybody pitched in, did their role and then some. Our son was the puppet this year and he did a great job. My husband was in many of the skits. It was a profitable week for the kingdom of heaven. I myself was saved at a VBS when I was 7. Never underestimate a child coming to know Christ as their Saviour.

Teen camp. Headed out to Butler, Penn. Monday August 4th. Pray for me!!! We are headed to camp with a group of 18 from our church. My husband and I have been praying that the Holy Spirit will do a great work this week in the youth of our Church. We have also been praying He will do a great work in us!!!! I am excited for camp and the opportunity to spend the week with the Teens that attend our Church. We have some of the greatest Teens in the world!

My Husbands birthday is today. I want to Praise the Lord and thank Him for the husband He gave to me. While he is not perfect (pretty close) He is absolutely perfect for me:)!!

As you can see my family serves in several ministries of our Church. I am so thankful that the Lord has allowed us to serve as a family. I feel privileged to serve beside my Husband as God is working in his life and heart everyday. I feel privileged that God has so clearly shown me my role as help meet to my husband, though I fail him daily. At times life gets very busy and there are days I get weary and heavy burdened. Those are almost always the days I have not sought the Lord as I should have. God has never failed me, though daily I have failed him. I am thankful I have been saved to serve. I have been bought with a price and I am so thankful He is made perfect in my weakness.

I pray you are all having a great summer. I am looking forward to a new school year, (we have a freshman this year) and how the Lord will lead us in choosing our curriculum. After camp, I will be continuing on my "Coming Home Series". I am very excited to continue to share with you all how the Lord worked in our lives. It truly is, by His grace and for His glory!

Have a blessed week!! Michelle