What's That In Your Hands?: 2/26/22

What's in your hand and what can you do with it?

(When I was a child, my mom would suspend aluminum pie pans on poles, lines, etc in the garden to help keep deer and rabbits from eating her garden.  You could hear them 'clanging' and see them swirling in the wind all summer long, it's a beautiful childhood memory that I have.  Since deer roam our area, I took a page out of my memory book of mama and strung up this aluminum pie pan ... somehow, I just know she would be so proud of me, in my mind, I can see her all knowing smile as she nods her head in approval.)

Welcome to this week's “What’s in Your Hand?’ edition where we strive to inspire you to focus on what you have to work with, not what you wish you had or hope to have in the future, but what you have right now ...

If there ever was a time for the phrase from Esther 4:14, ‘for such a time as this’, it’s now!  With the current world events we need to ‘circle the wagons’ and concentrate on ‘looking well to the ways of our household’ like never before.  For several weeks I’ve been trying to put this thought into words but just couldn’t do it.  I attempted it twice in a blog post but removed it as it just didn’t seem quite right.  This week it all came together in a way that seemed right … ‘circle the wagons’ and concentrate on ‘looking well to the ways of your household,’ mentally, physically, spiritually and financially.  That’s what I’m trying to do!

This week …

I chopped and dehydrated a package of mushrooms that I’ll use in soups, casseroles or to grind into powder when a recipe calls for it.

I strained up the turmeric vinegar I’ve had in the works for a month and bottled it using a recycled bottle.  I did the same thing to rosemary vinegar I’ve also had in the works for a month. This bottle is also recycled.  It sometimes takes a while to get the labels and glue off the bottles but once its off you have a perfectly good container that can be reused over and over again.  (Labels are from Mistress of the House Etsy shop)

I’ve also been saving meat trays from meat purchased at the store.  I don’t recommend reusing them for anything that is food related because of the potential for bacteria in the foam, but I feel comfortable using them after they’ve been thoroughly cleaned to save/dry seeds on after lining the bottom with wax paper.  Do you reuse meat trays?  If so, what are some of the ways you recycle them?

We found thick cut porkchops on sale this week for $.99/lb, yes, we purchased several!  We also found 2 other cuts of meat on sale and stocked up on those as well.

Our weather has been beautiful, so the yard and garden work has continued.  This week, I planted broccoli and Romaine lettuce.

I started the process of fermenting some of the cabbage we were given last week.  I used this video as my guide.  I’m spending as much time as I can learning skills I’ve put on the ‘back burner’ until a more convenient day.  Fermenting is one of those, next on my list is sprouting.

I’ve spent some time this week further developing my prayer calendar and prayer journal, setting it up in a way that is more user friendly.  In addition to praying throughout the day, I’m looking to fine tuning a dedicated time when I take my prayer journal and calendar and pray through it.  I really want to grow in my efforts to be a prayer warrior and am looking for ways that will help.  If you have any ideas or suggestions, please share them, I would be grateful.

This article titled Abigail’s Pantry by Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth is such a good example of using what’s in your hand.  I highly recommend going over with notebook and pen in hand to take notes.  Tell Jes A Working Pantry sent you.  

I harvested peppermint and then promptly amended the soil for this year's growing season.  I also harvested French tarragon, lemon thyme and English thyme which are not shown. This year I'm really going to try to keep my herbs cut back.  The more you harvest/cut them back the better they produce.  If I have surplus that I can't use or share, I'll feed it to our chickens or add it to our compost pile.  (I'm also working to 'overhaul' my herb garden area and expand it this year, there is much to be done and my heart literally sings as I work with my hands in this manner.)

And finally, each week I’m updating my Goals 2022 page, check out what I ticked off the list this week!

Look around you, how are you using your resources and time, what’s that in your hand?  How are you ‘circling the wagons’ and ‘looking well to the ways of your household?’

Until next time, I’ll be praying for wisdom, guidance, and discernment in all that I do.  I’ll also be praying that God will go before us and prepare the way mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially for what lies ahead.  And finally, I’ll continue to look for answers to these prayers by doing my best to take advantage of every opportunity God sends my way.

And the Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you.  He will not desert you or abandon you.  Do not fear and do not be dismayed.  Deuteronomy 31:8 

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

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