Cas the ClutterBug's "Great Purge of 2017," book launch and pre-order bonus

Image source: http://clutterbug.me/book

Happy tidy Tuesday! I've been under the weather so before I start my own 2017 clutter busting series, I thought I'd share about ClutterBug Cas' Great Purge of 2017 and let you know that there is still a wee bit of time to get her pre-order bonuses for her new book, Real Life Organizing. She's offering a bundle of printables, including her 2017 organizer printables, plus a lifetime code for all the printables on her website and (this is the best part, in my opinion) three people who pre-order will win an hour long phone call or Skype session with her!  You do have to enter some information on her website here after pre-ordering to get the bonuses, so if you do pre-order, be sure to fill out the form here so you don't miss out. I don't remember what day the pre-order special ends but think it's really soon. I bought my copy today and it was $12 and change.

I "met" Cas via her YouTube channel. I find her both inspiring and hilarious. Her Organizing Tips playlist there should have information on her Great Purge of 2017. So far, she has gone through her books, her storage room her craft room and more. She's a messy person at heart and turned her home life from slobby to organized. I believe she's kept her home organized for about six years now and also does consulting as a professional organizer. Even if you're not interested in her book, she shares lots of great tips in her YouTube videos. She also has DIY crafts in some of her videos (I loved her pretty felt flowers from a recent video).

The best thing about ClutterBug is her big heart. When I asked if I could do a copycat series inspired by her Great Purge of 2017, she quickly responded with a cheerful yes. I'm calling mine The Great Clutter Purge of 2017, only one word different from hers. I like that I have all of 2017 because with these health challenges things are going very slowly. But slowly is better than not at all. If you want to join me on my 2017 clutter busting journey, come back each Tuesday for tips and progress reports.

May God bless Cas, her family, you and your family!

Sources:
Book launch ("Real Life Organizing") page: http://clutterbug.me/book
Cas' Website: http://clutterbug.me/ 
Cas' YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OrganizedClutterbug
Cas' Organizing Tips Playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzglswYcXP2jmldtkZ4Mwp7y9wMgIjf-d
Cas' Great Purge of 2017 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFzPDEBlCl4&index=10&list=PLzglswYcXP2jmldtkZ4Mwp7y9wMgIjf-d
Cas' Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clutterbug.Me/

Note: This is a totally unsolicited, unpaid, unsponsored post. All opinions are my own. I'm just a fan of ClutterBug and thought this would be a nice way to help her meet her book's pre-order goal.

Government Shutdown Haiku Poem & Tips For Furloughed Workers

Image by hotblack

Government Shutdown Haiku

Eight hundred thousand

furloughed workers wondering

how long will it last?

My heart goes out to everyone affected by the government shutdown. Please join me in praying for the furloughed workers and their families, that America's leaders will make choices that honor God and are in the best interest of our citizens and that God's blessing will return to America.

Here are a few furlough survival tips for saving money, being frugal and living with less (with links to other blogger's posts about how to implement them).

• Eat out of your pantry/food already at home
• Experiment with a no spend month
• Find free entertainment
• Make use of your local library (they probably have more options than you know; in addition to books, magazines, newspapers, reference materials, and host of great databases mine even has e-readers to borrow. Some offer computer classes, children's activities, teen and adult social groups, learning groups, homework help, reading groups, job search assistance and more!)
• Cash in your clutter

Some of my favorite frugal resources are The Tightwad Gazette (book), The Dollar Stretcher (blog) and Be More with Less (blog).  Whether you're affected by the furlough or not, I hope you enjoy some of these money saving ideas. May God bless America and may He bless you too!

Related Posts:
http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/01/teen-inspires-minimalist-spending.html
http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-10-quotes-from-completely.html
http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/04/cherry-blossoms-and-national-monuments.html

The Bible: Day 18 of 30 Days of Thanksgiving

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Today, I'm focusing on being thankful for the Bible, the inspired word of God. God's word inspires, encourages, teaches and disciplines me. It helps me focus my priorities and grow closer to the Lord. Reading the Bible and praying are my highest priorities each day because loving God is my number one priority in life and these are precious ways to spend time with Him.

Here are a few free Bible related resources for you. Bible Gateway offers free online Bibles in many translations and languages as well as reading plans, devotionals and more. Wesley Mission provides this nice list of inspirational Bible verses for different situations. RBC Ministries provides this free article on why we should read our Bibles.

I'm also thankful to live in a country where I can freely read the Bible, worship and pray. Please join me in prayer for those who are persecuted for their faith, for those who must hide their Bibles or face death or imprisonment and for those who long to have a Bible but don't have the funds or means to obtain one. Let's also pray for those brave Christians who smuggle Bibles into areas of Christian persecution and for the Christian Bible distribution chains. May God bless them, strengthen them, provide for them, encourage them and keep them and may He bless you too.

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

Related posts: 
http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/search?q=thanksgiving
http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/search?q=12+great+books

Note/Disclaimer: I have no material connection with any of the resources mentioned or linked to in this post except as a donor/reader and the opinions are my own. 

Prayer: Day 5 of 30 Days of Thanksgiving

"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:18

Today I'm focusing on being thankful for prayer. How amazing is it that we can talk directly with the One High God? The God of all creation cares about you and me! He wants to hear about all of our cares and concerns (1 Peter 5:8) and, when our wills are aligned with His, he longs to give us the desires of our heart (Luke 11:19). God hears prayer and He longs for us to seek His will through prayer. Here's a little prayer of thanksgiving that I pray blesses you.

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for loving me. I praise you for you are the one true, living God, almighty, holy, yet filled with grace and love towards us. Thank you for the abundant blessings you've given me, most especially for eternal life through Jesus Christ,  but also for your Word, the Bible, abundant and nutritious food, the freedom of being an American, modern technology and medicine, music, flowers, sunshine and family pets. Everything good and wonderful comes from you and I thank you and love you. Please help me to love you more. 

In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

May God bless you and your prayer time, dear reader!

Related posts:

http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/04/isaiah-4031-prayer-for-you.html 

http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/prayer-for-freedom-from-limiting.html 

http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-good-news-how-to-become-born.html 

http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-years-prayer-haikus.html

http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/search?q=12+great+books

Banana Cream Health Smoothie Recipe

This tasty yet healthy smoothie was creamy, sweet tasting, filling and energizing. It kept me full for a good four hours. The Amazing Berry Banana Smoothie is still a favorite but it's fun to try new recipes.  This morning's smoothie is pictured above on my dining room table with my $5 bromeliad plant and Love is a Verb, one of my 12 Great Books for 2012 selections.

Please note that I tend to just throw stuff in the blender so my quantities are estimates. Also I like my smoothies more liquid than thick so if you like yours thick use less water.

Banana Cream Health Smoothie

• 2 cups leafy greens (I used a 50-50 blend of spinach and field greens today)
• 1 1/2 cups water (divided)
• 1 medium-large banana 
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop Vegalite vanilla pea and rice vegan dietary supplement (powder) by Thorne Research (or your favorite vanilla flavored smoothie powder)

Put ingredients in blender using 1 cup of water. Pour remaining 1/2 cup water over powder in blender. Blend until completely smooth. Enjoy immediately (add ice if you like).

I'd love to hear what you think if you try it!
Note: I have no material connection with any of the products mentioned in this (or any) post unless I specifically state said connection. I'm just sharing things that work for me.

Authentic Relationships Book Review and Quotes

Authentic Relationships: The Lost Art of One Anothering was one of my 12 Great Books to Read in 2012 selections and it was a great read. There were many good reminders and even some new thought provoking ideas as well as some solid calls to action for people looking to have stronger, authentic relationships. While reading nonfiction books I tend to use an index card to note the pages I want to come back to for my book notes upon completion of the text and this book's great ideas filled both sides of my index card. Here are some of the best quotes from the book.

p. 30 “[God] wants to set you so free in his love that it spills out of you and touches others...One anothering is not some onerous chore, but the joy of sharing God’s life, not only with his people but also with a world captive in darkness.”

 p. 40 “Hurting people do stupid things. Usually the more stupidly they act, the deeper their pain. When someone lashes out at me or treats me with contempt, I am tempted to respond in kind. When I realize, however, that people who do such things are in incredible pain themselves, it helps me to be patient with them , hoping that my love and gentleness might open a door for their healing."

p 53 “If we learn to love one another, we will need nothing more. We won’t need commitment, we won’t fall victim to expectations, and we won’t be disappointed when others don’t do for us what we have done for them. God’s love demands nothing in return.”

 p 71 “In a culture where most people are looking out for number one, random acts of kindness stand out as brightly as a lighthouse on a moonless night.”

 p 76 “Our life in Jesus, or the lack of it, is demonstrated by our compassion for people in need. He looks at those actions exactly as if we are, or are not, doing them for him. His compassion is 

contagious. Once we have experienced it from his hand, there is no way we can hold it to ourselves.”

 p 83 “‘Serving one another in love’ marks the transition from being slaves to the law to living in the Spirit.”

 p 92 “‘Whom can I encourage today?’ is a question we all can ask every day. When you know you are going to spend some time with someone, ask God what you might say or do that would help that person experience a touch of God’s grace.”

 p 94 “Your demeanor, thoughts, or simple affection can rescue people from their own anger, ego, or selfishness and free them to live on a higher plane in the life of Jesus.”

 p 96 “Stimulating people to love and good deeds does not happen by picking at their failures or by pushing them to try harder; it happens by helping them draw closer to Jesus.” 

p 114 “Picture talking to God like a five-year-old crawling into her daddy’s lap and sharing with him her hurts, frustrations, wants and needs. It doesn’t matter of she makes a mistake or is unsure of what to say; he already knows her heart and is thrilled to have the moment with her.”

I guess the main idea of the book is that we need to take time to truly understand and bask in God's boundless, deep and eternal love for us and then we'll be naturally overflowing with love for others. My prayer for both you and I, dear reader, is that we will do just that. May the love of our gracious Lord flow through you today!

"Letters to a Young Poet" Book Review

This was one of my 12 Great Books to read in 2012 selections and I'm glad I included it. I've heard from more than one source that this is a great book for poets and writers of all levels of accomplishment. The book consists of ten letters from Rainer Maria Rilke to a young poet he felt a keen kinship toward. Rilke's compassion and kind heart brought the letters to life. He clearly cared deeply for his protege and I pesonally felt like the letters were like a series of thoughtful and inspiring warm hugs. Some letters spoke to me more than others but it was a good read. I'll include a few of the quotes I found most inspiring and thought provoking.

"Pretend you are the very first man and then write what you see and experience, what you love and lose." Page 11

"If you will love what seems to be insignificant and will in an unassuming manner, as a servant, seek to win the confidence of what seems poor, then everything will become easier, more harmonious, and somehow more conciliatory." Page 34

"Perhaps all the dragons in our life are really princesses just waiting to see us just once being beautiful and courageous. Perhaps everything fearful is basically helplessness that seeks our help." Page 80.

"Everything that causes you to be more than you have been in your best hours is right." Page 88.

Wherever you are in your journey of life, I hope you will have the courage to be more than you have been. May God bless you!

12 Great Books to Read in 2012

Every year as part of my resolutions/goals for the year I have a goal of reading 50 books during the calendar year. It's usually one of my easy and enjoyable resolutions. This is the first year I've named some specific books as part of my goals. Other than the Bible (listed first), they're in no particular order. The general themes are faith, health and relationships as those are my priorities for this year. Hopefully at least one of the twelve books I've selected will inspire you. 

1. The Bible.  This year my plan is to read it in chronological order using the New American Standard version. No other reading is as important as God's word.

2. Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith by Scotty Smith.  This book was a gift from my Pastor brother, Joshua. I've been reading and praying the daily entries before bed. The book was probably meant to be read in the morning but my morning routine's rather full and I wanted something like this for my evening routine.

3. Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes. Late in 2011 I joined a ladies' Bible study and even though they were wrapping up this book I jumped in and joined them on the last three chapters. Now I want to start at the beginning and read the whole thing.

4. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. I forget where but I remember reading that this book had inspired someone greatly and I was intrigued.

5. Mighty Be Our Powers by Lehmah Gbowee and Carol Mithers. After reading an article about Ms. Gbowee I knew I had to read her book and look forward to it.

6. Authentic Relationships: Discover the Lost Art of One Anothering by Wayne Jacobsen.  Came across this while looking for another book and decided I wanted to read it.

7.  Fix Your Feet by Philip Maffetone. I think this one was recommended by www.peertrainer.com and as I have some foot pain and don't feel like seeing the doctor in person I thought I'd read this book first and see if Mr. Maffetone's advice might suffice.

8. Super Immunity by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I've been a fan of Dr. Fuhrman's since reading his Eat to Live book which I bought after reading my library copy (this is a rare thing for me as I'm at maximum book storage capacity in my home and have to purge an item from my collection every time I add one).

9. Love is a Verb: Stories of What Happens When Love Comes Alive by Gary Chapman. His The Five Love Languages book was really eye opening for me so I look forward to this book.

10. Treasured Moments with Mother Graham by Rose Adams and Donna Lee Toney. Hoping that this will read like a dear, faith filled, grandmother imparting her best spiritual advice and lessons.

11. Stage Your Home to Sell (or Keep): Easy Ways to Improve the Value of Your Home by Jean Nayar. It's unlikely that we'll be moving but making the house nicer makes my hubby happy so I consider this part of the relationship category.

12. The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health by T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II, Howard Lyman and John Robbins. This book may be one of my main motivators for wanting to pursue a vegan diet. I started reading it in 2011 and thought that I had finished it but as I was neatening a shelf I saw the telltale bookmark sticking out of it and, even though the reading can be challenging, I do want to finish this book this year.

What books are you planning on reading this year? Whatever your reading plans, I wish you the happiest of New Years and pray that God will shine His face and favor upon you!