Queen's Edge Farm: 30 Day Marriage Challenge

Thursday, June 28, 2007

30 Day Marriage Challenge

Okay...I found a link to a site by a woman named Christine. I was reading about this 30 day Marriage Challenge, and it piqued my interest. On her blog she mentions how each woman participating may be coming from different places in their marriage and this is true.

I will be totally honest here...the idea of doing some of the things suggested on her blog, and that I see other women are doing makes me feel a little nauseous. You see, I tried to be a submissive wife for a good 15 years of my marriage, but about 4 years ago things kind of ended for me there....due to an incident that happened and we were separated for a while, and only really reunited due to our children and economic reasons. I have had every intention of getting a divorce sometime in the future.

About six months ago I made a new friend, and against my best intentions she has influenced me to work on being a better wife, though I feel I am already way better than he deserves. I grit my teeth and muddle through. I have been more a less a stay at home mom for the past 4 years, with occasional times of working part time and from home as a loan officer. Due to my anger at my husband, I was more or less on strike with regards to anything that involved him, but this new friend, darn her, has got me doing stuff again that I swore I would never do (like cook for him and wash his clothes.)

Yes, I know all of this is decidingly "unChristian" of me, but I am relying totally on God to be able to get through each day. Please don't think my reasons are frivolous, they aren't, but I don't feel comfortable discussing the entire situation here, but suffice it to say, it's serious and heartbreaking.

Anywho....I have decided to give this 30 day Marriage Challenge a go, and to see where it leads me. Can't be any worse....so to take Christine's advice I will start with prayer. And as you read this....I would appreciate any prayers you care to offer up for me.

www.fruitinseason.blogspot.com is Christine's blog if you care to read her entries. (I am always jealous of women who have great husband's and whose husband's love them. I have never had that....)

2 comments:

Christine said...: Hi Amy,

Thank you for your honesty in this post. I can't possibly know your situation and obviously honoring our husbands looks different for everyone. It sounds like it is very difficult for you to do based on your situation. What I will pray for you is that you are blessed by your efforts in this challenge, however difficult, and that with God's help things will change for the better. Maybe the change will just be in your heart, or maybe your marriage will take a turn for the better. Whatever the case may be, I hope you'll feel God's presence in the midst of it all.; June 29, 2007 at 8:59 AM
Pearls of Wisdom said...: Dear Amy,

I saw you have joined the challenge also. I don't know of your situation and know everyone is at a different point or circumstance in their lives, and your situation sounds difficult . I will pray for you also. May the Lord Bless you this week and always.
I have some of the same health concerns and think you are doing a great job with your lists and schedules.

Angel ( D.)

Angel (D.); June 29, 2007 at 10:18 AM

Grandma's Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

2 pkgs active dry yeast or 5 tsps if using bulk yeast
1/2 cup warm water (not too hot)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening, butter, margarine
2 tsps salt
2 cups milk, scalded
1 1/2 cups cold water
10 to 12 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

Yield: 4 loaves

Soften yeast in warm water, springkle in a tsp of the sugar
In LARGE mixing bowl blend sugar, shortening, salt and milk until shortening is melted. Add cold water, cool to luke-warm. Stir in yeast. Gradually add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and satiny, 5 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover with foil or damp towel. Let rise in warm place (85 to 90 deg) until light and doubled in volume about two hours. Punch dough down by plunging fist in center. Knead dough for about 5 minutes.

Roll out one fourth of dough to a 16 X 12 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 TBSP of melted butter. Combine 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (or more to taste). Sprinkle mixture over dough. Starting with 16 inch side, roll jellyroll fashion. Either cut into 16 1 inch slices or leave as a whole loaf. Place on a greased pan, cover and let rise in warm place until light, about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix one box 10X sugar with 2 tbsps water. If too stiff, add more water until icing consistency, add a drop of vanilla too. Spread on baked bread while bread is still warm.

2010 Homestead Stats

Laundry Soap

Homemade Laundry Soap:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax powder
~You will also need a small washpan or bowl that holds about 2 gallons.

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the washpan. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Transfer soap (using a funnel if necessary) into empty plastic laundry holders, milk containers (I use my empty glass milk bottles and old Fab containers) Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly

5 cups grape juice (about 3 1/2 pounds of ripe grapes)1 (1 3/4 ounce) box of sure-jel pectin7 cups sugarBefore getting started it is best to clean the entire kitchen, making sure the sink is empty. Bleach the sink and all utensils used in making jelly (I do this as I sell my grape jelly as part of my homesteading business.)

Wash the canning jars in warm soapy water, and rinse well. Set off to side.

Place a large pan of water on the stove to heat. Once it starts steaming, place lids and rings in the bottom, and 2-3 jars (depending on if you use actual jelly jars or pints) to sterilize.

Next make the grape juice using clean washed grapes (make sure you use rubber gloves when picking or washing wild grapes)To 3 1/2 pounds of clean grapes (6 cups of grapes) add 1 1/2 cups water.Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes.Strain and squeeze out all of the juice with cheese cloth (see paragraph below)
I didn't have cheese cloth, so I poured the grape mixture into a large spaghetti strainer with a large pan underneath. I had to stir it around some as the skins and seeds would sink to the bottom, and clog the colander up. Stirring allowed the liquid to drain out. I then used a large metal spoon and squished it some to get more of the juice out.

In a very big pan, put 5 cups of the juice (it’s okay to add no more than ½ cup water to even out amount)Add the fruit pectin to the juice.Mix well.On high heat, bring to a full rolling boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.Stir in sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil, again boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Remove jelly from heat, skim off foam
Use a large spoon inserted inside the jar to lift CAREFULLY out of the water. DO NOT TOUCH THE INSIDE OF THE JAR OR THE RIM WITH YOUR HANDS.
Ladle jelly into hot jars, place a lid and ring onto jar (do not tighten yet).
Set jars to the side. After a while you should start hearing “pings” as the jar seals.
When jars are completely cool, tighten rings and store on pantry shelf.**SIDE NOTE: Wild Mustang Grapes are normally ready the end of June, so be prepared. Keep an eye open for vines on the side of the road, or any that friends and family may have growing in their yard. Many people just let them grow and don’t do anything with them, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a good supply. Also, the more you pick off the vine, the more the vine produces new grapes, so you probably won’t EVER run out of grapes to use until the vine dies or you get sick of making jelly. Good luck and feel free to contact me at queensedgefarm@yahoo.com for questions.