Sunday, September 27, 2009

Homemade Laundry Detergent

We purchased three ingredients at a total cost of under $13.00. This will make 8 batches of liquid laundry soap. When I made 1 batch it filled four 32 load containers. That makes one 32 load container for 41 cents (or a little over 1 cent per load)!
1. Soap (You need one bar per batch). We chose Ivory.
2. Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (Available in the laundry area)
3. 20 Mule Team Borax (Available in the laundry area)

Step One: Shred, chop or shave your soap into small pieces.
Step Two: Measure and start heating water. You will need 6 cups of water heated to melt the soap in a sauce pan. Add the soap and water to the pan.
Step Three: Once the soap is all dissolved, you stir in half a cup of Borax and half a cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. Stir over the heat until it is all dissolved.
Step Four: Remove from heat and pour into a large bucket. I used a five gallon bucket, but a smaller bucket would have been just fine.
Step Five: Add four cups more of hot water to the bucket and stir until well blended.
Step Six: Add one gallon plus six cups of cold water to the mixture. Mix well. Let sit for 24 hours.

Store it in your old laundry soap bottle or other plastic container for easy pouring.
Ready to use! I used 1/2 of a cup per load. It looks like a liquid gel.

Friday, September 25, 2009

The Incarnation-a Life Affirming Confession

In Sunday School we are going through Luther's Small Catechism. The question was posed, "When did Jesus, though fully God, become fully man.?" Our reply was, "When he was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary." I had never thought about how we confess life, from the moment of conception, when we confess our faith together through the Apostles' Creed:
"And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy spirit, born of the virgin Mary...."
and in the Nicene Creed:
"who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man..."
In contrast, here is our condition:
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me," Psalm 51:5.
From the moment of conception we are sinful, which is something that can only be charged against a human being, not a clump of cells. Thanks be to God for sending Jesus, the sinless God Man, to take on our sin.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Bethany's 6th Birthday!



On September 7th, we celebrated Bethany's birthday, (her real birthday was on the 10th.) We had cake and ice-cream, opened presents, and played her favorite game: Memory Game (which she is very good at). It's hard to believe that she is six years old. Happy Birthday Bethany!

My Very Early Morning Just Started Under Nancy's Pancakes


The strange title for this post is the mnemonic we used to remember the order of the planets. Can you say the planets in order? :)
John, Lindsay, and Bethany are studying Astronomy for science this year. We made a model of the solar system, and Stan graciously took time away from studying Greek to tack our model to the ceiling of the girls' room. They are excited to have the solar system hanging over their beds (even if it is just balloons).

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Established and Mobile


After moving, and looking ahead to more moves in the not so distant future, what a comfort to know that our home is not tied to a particular house, but that home is where our family is. I am very thankful for God's provision, forgiveness, and strength, and consider myself very blessed to have a family. Good friends help with the transitions, such as my dear friend Candice, who recently sent me this beautiful plaque.