Does God Owe Us Anything?

I look into the world and see so much evil and pain. I used to wonder how God could allow such things to happen. As I grew in understanding and truth from the Lord I came to realize that He doesn't owe us anything but His righteous wrath. If I examine my own heart, even on my best day, I'm thinking evil thoughts about someone. We live in a fallen world, which we chose from the beginning.

Who is Teaching Our Children?

Dr. Voddie Baucham

Return of the Daughters

I have to give a huge thumbs up to The Return of the Daughters. What’s a young woman to do with her single years? This DVD can help you think about that issue.

What a wonderful documentary to share with your teens! If you are interested in godly daughters, or courtship, this is a must see video. Yes, I forced a boy to watch it, but he was glad he did. :) There are extras on the DVD and you must watch the section on courtship.

Sinus Headaches Are A Pain!

There's nothing like a horrible sinus headache to cause your head so much agony, sap your strength, and rob you of a whole day, except maybe a migraine.

I'm usually able to realize a sinus headache is coming, before it's raging, and do something about it.
Not so yesterday, so I suffered away from home until I was sick to my stomach with the pain.

When the barometer pressure changes, usually indicating rain, my headaches begin. I also get a headache when I've dusted and not used a mask, or when there is a bunch of pollen. Allergies-Ick !

Well, I guess someone else has noticed barometric pressure related headaches, because you can research them on Google. Mine are always on one side of my face in the sinus cavity on that side and behind that eye.

Enough complainin' about the pain, what do I do about it? The following is NOT meant to be medical advice. If you want that you'll have to go to a doctor. I'm not one, so take all my advice with a grain of salt. I'm just sharing what has helped me.

• Get hydrated - Drink plenty of fluids, whether you feel like it or not. Water is best. I sometimes get up in the morning stuffed up and know if things don't loosen up I'm going to be in pain. I make a very hot cup of tea or coffee. After I drink it down a little I start trying to place the side or bottom of the warm cup on the spot were it hurts. I also like to inhale the warm steam from my cup. Don't scald yourself ! I sometimes alternate that with ice cold water. Cold orange juice also is good in the morning. If I'm away from home and feeling sick to my stomach I'll get an icy cold Sprite from the Sonic, or a lemon water.

• Use the healing properties of hot and cold water - It's more effective if you've taken in plenty of fluids before doing any of the following: Use a very hot washcloth on your face where it hurts. Try it on the back of your neck on the same side. Rewet the cloth as needed to keep it good and hot. Then splash ice cold water on your face or use a cloth dipped in ice water on your face. Alternate back and forth with the heat and cold. If you're already in a lot of pain skip the cloth treatment and get in the shower. Use the warmest water you can stand on your face, head and back of your neck. If you have a handheld shower head, use a powerful massaging setting and get it closer. Be careful, not too near your eyes. You can follow the heat with cold, but you really want a handheld for that so you can direct it only onto your face. Brrrr!

• Other treatments - Heating pad. Gel face mask that is kept in the fridge. Inhaling steam with menthol or an essential oil in some hot water, possibly making a steam tent out of a towel. Humidifier. Saline drops in the nose. Neti pot. Eating something very spicy. Chewing very minty gum or mints. Exercise if you feel like it. Massage your face and neck where the pressure is. Sometimes I ask my hunny to put me in a headlock. No, really! I lay my head on his chest and he uses his forearm across my temple and applies a good headlock there instead of my neck. Feels wonderful and is more cost effective than buying me a new head, which is what I ask him to do when he asks if I need anything.
  

• Medicine - I can often use some of the above treatments and get relief with no medication at all. Sometimes I know I'm going to need to take a couple of regular ibuprofen. If I'm in enough pain I'll take a prescription dose and go to bed. I also take a nasal decongestant as needed. There's only one that really works for me. Once again, I'm no doctor, and overuse of ibuprofen can cause liver damage among other things, so see a doctor rather than medicating what could be a serious problem.

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

This is one of those recipes that isn't an exact science, and you can't ruin these potatoes unless you completely char them. Yumma!

So get out your potato scrubber and a big bowl.

• 4-6 large Potatoes- skin on (new potatoes are best, but try whatever you have)
• small Onion-chopped
• Chives-snipped
• 2 small bunches fresh Rosemary-snipped (about 2 Tab when snipped, use less dry)
• 2 fresh Garlic cloves-minced or pressed (can substitute garlic powder, but it's not the same)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of Olive Oil
• can put in some melted Butter if you want, use less oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Partially boil your washed and cubed potatoes. This speeds the roasting process, but don't boil them too long or they'll lose their jackets.
(When momma and grandma said potatoes would lose their jackets I thought that was pretty funny)


While the potatoes are boiling put all the other ingredients into your large bowl.
Drain the potatoes and toss them together with all the good stuff in the bowl.
If the potatoes look a little dry, add a little more oil. The beauty to these potatoes is that you can start out with less oil and
drizzle a little more as they're baking if they look dried out.


Pour them onto a greased cookie sheet. Sometimes I foil line a pan for the oven, or put them in heavy duty foil and roast them on the grill.


Bake until browned to your liking at about 375. Turn with a spatula at least once.

Is Public Schooling Accomplishing What We Want, OR What Someone Else Wants?







Rights of Christian Students and Teachers in Public Schools

Photography Class Interest ?

I've been thinking about teaching a photography class for homeschool students this fall. This class would be tailored to 7th-12th grade students to earn a credit in digital photography. I've yet to decide if we will use a book, what the class size will be limited to, and I'll need to look for a place to hold the classes. There will be a fee. It would be good for them to have their own camera of some kind, though I'll have cameras we can share during class time. It would also be nice to have laptops so that we could really get into digital editing software, without everyone trying to see one computer. I'd want to be able to meet a few times in the downtown area to do some on-location photography with them. I know this could be a lot of fun, and I hope everything works out for me to be able to do it. I may do a younger class as a co-op class at a later time.