The Two Dollar T-Shirt

As any proper frugalista would do....I swung my head around when I saw that sign ¨T-Shirts...$2.00¨

Say what? Can I actually be as frugal as this? What´s the catch? (Canada is not known for low cost clothing) 

So the catch is this....the men´s T-shirts with the guy-ish neckline.... was $2.....and the women´s t-shirts with the cute vneck line were thin as tissue paper and see through....and too short.

Yikes. I had been hearing lately about the ¨ pink tax¨ and for the most part I actually ignored it. But I guess I need to admit that it is real in some settings. 

And yes, you would be correct, by saying that I have no right to be demanding if I only want to pay 2$ for a tshirt. Ya ya.... hear ya. But it´s my blog and I´ll rant if I want to.

So back to that noted dollar store.The men´s t-shirts were of a quality well known sport brand name in the T-shirt world...the fabric thick enough so as not to be see-through and thoroughly washable. The women´s t-shirt was NOT made by that same brand name and was see-through, too short for normal length and would probably not survive well through a couple of washes and dryer rounds.

I get annoyed when people I hope are wrong....are absolutely right.

There is no logical reason why a men´s t-shirt should be stronger, better quality and of a better quality brand than a woman´s t-shirt.

We gals like cheap clothes too once in a while.

I happen to believe we shouldn´t have to go to thrift shops and buy used clothing just because we are trying to stay on budget. Brand new clothing should be available for all in this modern computerized age of manufacturing. Factories are constantly making improvements in robotics and now with AI, they can probably run a shirt factory with almost no labour costs. Am I wrong? ??

New Clothes should be getting cheaper, not lower quality.

Does this mean perhaps I must learn how to sew???.....then I could alter cheaper new men´s clothes into Women´s designs...and have the benefit of the low cost and still have good quality fabric. 

But I sooooo don´t want to learn how to sew.

How ´bout you? I know that environmental activists are horrified by statements about the right to ¨new¨ clothing. Fast fashion is not environmentally correct. Buying thrift store treasures is a big movement right now....and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. But there are other options.

If the fabric from used clothing can be sterilized and broken down and made into ¨new to you¨ clothing, that would be a more appealing third option. The worst part of thrift stores is that the lack of cleanliness and the fact that you just might be touching and buying someone´s unwashed clothing. There are risks, both emotional and otherwise, from wearing things that once were worn by other humans. They can have hidden contaminants, chemical residues or insect infestations that may not be obvious. 

Sorry, friends, I am not trying to gross you out. But let´s be a little realistic. Nobody knows what that second hand item has done before it wound up on a rack in a thrift store. It has an unknown history and therefore an unknown level of cleanliness. 

The hope with new clothing is that it has never been worn and therefore, there should be minimal risk of dirt, germs and insects.

A good quality clothing manufacturer and retailer is going to ensure that the clothing they sell is going to be a clean and nice smelling piece of clothing for the proud consumer. Good work leaves a good trail. We feel safe and confident buying from a brand we have come to trust and rely on.

Any thoughts friends?

Peace,

Carla

Your Prayers are Heard

No degree required. Heaven is not closed to you because you don´t have a degree. Or maybe you have 10 degrees and a Phd to boot.

It doesn´t have any impact on how accessible God is to you and your prayers.

That is the beauty of spirituality, of knowing the God of the Bible.

People, in their humanity and ¨unique" status in life, may take great pains to exclude some folks, to build fences and complex alarm systems to make sure only those they choose ....to have access to their lives.

Take heart, my friends, my brother and sisters in the Lord. Be good to all, no matter what their station in life, as much as you can, with the energy and the motivation and power that God gives you.

You think that nobody is watching? There is always someone watching....and usually someone listening too.

God knows your heart. His Word says in James Chapter 5:16b ¨The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.¨

What does that mean? It means...if God considers you a righteous person and you take the time to pray in earnest and with perseverance, that you are going to accomplish a lot with these prayers.

Why? Because God answers prayer.

Don´t waste time wondering if He hears. Keep moving forward. Don´t second yourself. Never question if the time you are spending in prayer is wasted time. NEVER. Prayer time is an excellent expenditure of your time on this earth. Period.

Prayer time is golden time, platinum time, angelic time and miracle time.

You are not missing out on anything that you have sacrificed in order to spend time in prayer. God will, in his timing and wisdom, reward you accordingly, of that I am certain.

Are you asking....well Carla, if prayer is so important .....what should I be praying about? 

Well, I would start by looking at how Jesus addressed his Father in the Lord´s prayer( see Matthew 6:9)....

Jesus said we should pray like Him...... And He addressed His Father in prayer like this....using the plural ¨Our Father which art in Heaven¨

Prayer builds community. We are a ¨WE¨ congregation. We have a mutual father, who is Father God.

We pray  as community minded Believers when we state ¨Our¨

Father in heaven. 

Sometimes, I am grieved by all the individualization that has occurred in the modern church. Instead of thinking communally, we have talked about our own individual testimony and our ¨personal¨ relationship with God. But my understanding of the scriptures leads us to OUR, not to my. We are an interconnected Body. WE are a WE body. Many parts of one whole.

This is why prayer is so deeply important. Pray for your brothers and sisters in the Lord. Pray for those who are rich and those who are poor. Pray confidentially. No one needs to know who you are praying for.

Pray for those who are old and those who are young. Pray for those who are succeeding in life and those who are struggling. Pray for those

 who are hurting and those who are healing.

Your prayers are powerful. Your words matter.

Would you allow me to thank you? Thank you for praying for me. I am deeply grateful.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you.

Peace,

Carla.

Be Strong Today Friends

Be strong today my friends. This is not the time to be anxious and to fret.

Allow God´s peace to inhabit your day...to inhabit your mind.

Be gracious to yourself and to those around you. Know that what you do today plants seeds into your life tomorrow and next year and beyond.

Forgiving someone today plants favor into your life for years to come.

Remember what God said when He wrote what is now known as the ¨Lord´s Prayer¨

Matthew 6:12 Kjv And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Some folks think that only refers to money.....but it doesn´t.

Someone can treat you harshly for whatever reason, whether real or a silly excuse, but you still have a choice. First of all, you don´t take an offense personally.... if at all possible. 

You don´t know what someone may be going through privately, that it started overflowing into how they are interacting with you.

Also, just based on my background studying psychology, you learn about how humans can react to someone just based upon how they remind you of someone who offended them decades ago.

For example, if someone with a red streak in their hair was very mean to them when they were 12 years old in elementary school, they may keep within their heart an unspoken fear of people with red streaks in their hair. They may unconsciously think that anyone who has a red streak in their hair is not a nice person. It may be illogical and invalid, but realize that the human heart is often irrational and illogical.

These kind of associations happen without us even realizing it. That´s why we need to develop a greater maturity, that we can rise above the petty resentments we may sense around us.

Don´t allow small things to deter you from  doing what your goals leads you to. You are still in the driver´s seat of your life, no matter what everyone is doing or saying. Learn to build yourself up in prayer and time in the scriptures. Listen to speeches and lectures that build up your ability to live with clarity on your goals and peacefulness in your heart.

Surround yourself with good music. If you find that hearing lyrics and humans singing is distracting, then find some good instrumental tracks to which you can work. Great music builds up your peace reservoir and allow you to still concentrate on tasks at hand.

White noise.....what a great invention. Loads of them are available for free on youtube.

You listen to hazy background anonymous sounds like ocean waves or bird chirping and it allows your mind to focus on your task at hand rather than trying to sort through the meanings and nuances of songs and lyrics.

Well, friends, that was all I wanted to give you today....a  word of encouragement. I want to encourage you to rise above the minor irritations of the day and focus on the greater good. You have so much strength....so much possibility. You are alive. You have time left on this earth.

Use it my friends, to forgive and move on to the goals you have set this day.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Life with Gluten Sensitivity

I admit it....I indulged.

Family brought over some Popeyes Fried chicken.

Oh the beauty of the perfectly fried battered chicken....hot and crispy golden yum.

Little did I know I would regret my indulgence for the next 3 days.

This is normal for my life as someone who is sensitive to gluten.

Sometimes I seem to be able to handle small amounts of gluten and sometimes it´s like my body almost shuts down completely in an extreme reaction to whatever gluten I may have consumed.

Getting out of the funk that my body goes into...... takes some patience and tried and true methods that I know work well for me.

So, you may be asking...what helped you Carla in recovering from binging on gluten?

Well, let me spell out what worked for me.

• First of all, I stopped shaming myself for eating the gluten that hit me so hard.
• Secondly, I was patient with the process of gradually restoring my body AFTER the indulgence.
• Thirdly, I drank TONS of water...probably at least 1.5 liters of purified water per day at room temperature.
• Fourthly, I put up with the belly ache that was almost non stop for 3 days.
• I went back to consuming the Webber branded probiotics that have proven to work well for me, by taking extra doses to get the inner biome back to functioning...... Remembering that 

probiotics take time to work. They are not a quick fix. 

Accepted the intestinal discomfort and irritable bowels for 3 days, which included belching and bloating. Yikes!

Continued with my regular vitamin intake of Vit C and Vit D and small bits of raw garlic once every one or two days.

Soothed my own abdominal muscles by squeezing them and testing their sensitivity to touch.

Drinking strong hot coffee every morning....one large mugful per morning.

Stayed calm and stayed hydrated, and limited sports activities while my body worked itself out.

Slept more....naps and at nighttime.

Ate some good healthy protein rich foods including fish and gluten free chicken and veggies.

Finally some relief on the 4th day. Thanks God.

Bowel started working more normally and I felt like I could walk more uprightly without thinking constantly about my gut.

So, for the record I am not a celiac, but am definitely sensitive to gluten. 

Sometimes it seems that I can handle consuming small amounts of gluten and other times, my body can not handle it at all.

It is a constant challenge, not knowing how my body will react to such a common ingredient.

I have discovered that taking probiotic supplements is very helpful as well as probiotic foods such as Activia yoghurt.

What is your story regarding gluten? Are you sensitive to gluten? Gluten Intolerant? Or full on allergic to gluten? Do Tell...Looking forward to your comments.

Peace,

Carla

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is not intended as medical advice. This blog post is intended as entertainment only. Please obtain medical advice from your licensed medical provider.

The blog author and publisher is not liable for any ideas discussed in this blog post or any other blog post on this blog.

Tweet

The Gables .....Spring Forest...Wind and Waves

Love to hike? Been to Ontario Canada in search of some great wilderness?

This wee gem of a park in Barrie, Ontario, Canada is a hidden haven of dense forest pathways leading to the Bay. It has steep winding paths through a forest canopy which winds finally down to a rugged shoreline of Kempenfelt Bay. Rocks and wind and crashing surf.

Tourists don´t really hang out here perhaps because there isn´t really a beach to speak of. Lots of rocks and tons of fallen trees, some arching into the lake. The fallen trees in the forest provide an ideal nursery for lichens, mosses and fungi.

So many hints of wild life... The more time one spends in this natural haven, the more wild life you can spot.

In just my brief visit, I spotted chipmunk, squirrels and heard unusual bird calls that felt as if my presence was being announced to the herd.

I spotted brown and grey assorted fungi, and purple flowers poking through the early spring forest floor. The nurture of the fallen greenery provides an ecosystem that is rare to enjoy in a rather suburban city.

I know if I come back to this oasis in the forest, during the warmer months, there will be tons more to see......more fungi, more birds and lots more gorgeous plants, trees and native flowers. 

The wind whips hard near the lake this time of year, so bring a good windbreaker if you visit.

Peace be the journey.

https://www.barrie.ca/community-recreation-environment/parks-trails-waterfront/parks-amenities/gables-park

When Someone at your Church Acts like a Turkey

This post is for church goers.

It´s for those who have been offended by someone´s behavior in church or on church property.

I am writing this post because sometimes we need to discuss these very human and common experiences in church life. Some things just need to be said.

Church is full of humans. Not humanoids, not robots....but flesh and blood humans.

Of course it can hurt when someone offends you in your own church. You are a human being with a soft heart.....of course you are going to get your feelings hurt sometimes. If you never were disappointed or offended in some way, I would wonder if you were truly human. To be human is to feel . To be human is to experience all kinds of feelings, not just the happy feelings.....and that is ok. I believe that part of God´s healing power in us shows up in melting our stony hearts so that we can feel deeply again. Feeling deeply is a blessing....even when sometimes the emotions we feel include feeling hurt or disappointed.

Church is no different than any other public place filled with human beings. The difference is that we may have different expectations for behavior in church spaces. We expect kindness, gentleness, generosity and a certain amount of familiarity, especially if it is a church that we attend regularly and consider a significant part of our lives.

Here comes the hard part. Sometimes we go to church without getting a chance to prepare our hearts to worship God. We lose focus on why we go to church. We start looking at the people in the church instead of tuning our hearts in a spiritual way towards our Maker. 

We may have been in a rush to get there on time....we may have lost one sock out of a pair of socks, and could´t find the car keys.... or realize that when we got in the car, that we were out of gas. Maybe the cat missed the litter box. It happens.

 Perhaps we had hoped to bring a generous gift to the church only to realize that we didn´t have any money that day to give. We didn´t want to come to church empty handed, but that is how life rolled that day. Life, just like church life,... is sometimes full of  disappointments, hasty occasions, and awkward experiences.

When I was a teenager, I recall showing up at school with a dryer sheet sticking out the bottom of my pant leg. How embarrassing! But I survived and now giggle about it. So too, all kinds of embarrassing things can happen at church. Sometimes we just have to grin and bear it and carry on. Don´t let something silly keep you from attending church to worship your God.

There are a million different reasons why we may arrive at church in a ¨less than ideal¨ frame of mind. But that doesn´t make it hurt less when we experience a ¨less than friendly¨ event. Just knowing and acknowledging our human frailty makes us more understanding of those who may act out. Sometimes folks are going through things, things that we don´t know about and can´t possibly understand.

 As much as it may be very difficult to do ... sometimes we just need to let things go..... We can choose to overlook an insult and accept a lame excuse for rude behavior. 

 Sometimes we need to learn how to not hang on to an offense, even when the experience really hurt or offended us. To  let go of any offense, doesn´t mean it didn´t happen. To overlook an offense, just means we are disciplining our hearts and not reacting to someone´s bad behavior. We are choosing to be gracious and to keep our eyes on the prize. Who is the prize? Who is the prize? Your holy God....Jesus.

Churches are full of human beings, living in an imperfect world.

Chin up, brothers and sisters, you will make it through. You will still belong to the Kingdom of God, even if you experience something imperfect in a church space. And the beautiful thing is....is when we choose to forgive someone else for their insensitivity, we will also be forgiven for our own mistakes. Grace begets more grace. Forgiveness begets more forgiveness.

So maybe someone uttered something under their breath that you weren´t supposed to hear. Maybe someone didn´t greet you politely. Maybe someone didn´t show proper respect for the contributions, financial or otherwise... that you have given into the church. Maybe someone forgot your name or your child´s name. Maybe they spelled it wrong. Perhaps someone didn´t acknowledge an event in your life that you thought they should have remembered. It happens. You will survive. Don´t give up on God or on being a part of His kingdom just because you have noticed some failings.

Maybe someone that you have been praying for...for months, cuts you off in the parking lot. Maybe they didn´t hold the door open for you or a family member. Maybe they cut short your conversation to go talk to someone else. Maybe they ignored you...or didn´t return your phone call. Maybe they didn´t respond to your attempt at a friendly greeting. You will survive. You will get over it.

It just might be time to pray. If you are a sensitive person, you may feel things more deeply than others do. Since you are a person of faith, you have a Spiritual  Savior that you can speak to about this or some other awkward church event. Talk it over in your prayer time with your God. He can hear you. He loves you. He cares.

He just may give you an understanding of what went on that day....or He might say...¨Trust Me my child, because  there is so much at stake right now¨. Stay peaceful. Don´t give up your place in His kingdom. Stay humble.

Now, I must mention the other side of this issue....just to be fair.

 There are times, where, if you have experienced something really bad at church, that you need to speak up. You may start by speaking with your spouse or your parent, or a good friend about the situation. You may need to go to one of the church leaders and get their perspective on what has gone on. Is there something going on that needs to be addressed by church leadership? Is your safety or the safety of another church member under threat?

Some things are important and not to be overlooked. Try to handle sensitive issues in a respectful and confidential manner, without putting your own safety at risk.

Pray for God´s wisdom. Pray to discern what you should overlook and what must be addressed. Wisdom is the principal thing.

Lastly, I think of the verse.....

Matthew 18:21 and 22 (ESV)

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

In closing. Whether what you have experienced in church was good or bad or a mixture of both, I pray that you will be given the grace to carry on. I pray that you will be given the spiritual power to observe the bible verse pasted above.....and be able to forgive all,....both small or great offenses. For those of you who have been offended more than once, I pray that you will have the power, the raw spiritual power, to forgive fully and completely...so that your heart will become free and healthy enough to live fully and laugh with joy. I pray that you will be able to experience every good thing that God has for you and your family.

I pray that you will carry on and not give up on being a part of the modern church family. We are on a journey together whether we like it or not. We are aiming for Heaven.

Peace, my brothers and sisters....thanks for listening.

Carla.

Crashing Waves welcomed me to the Bay today...

Just sharing with you a glimpse of the lovely Kempenfelt Bay, which wraps around

Innisfil, Barrie and Shanty Bay in Ontario.

The sound of the crashing waves....tip toeing on the foresty path heading to the water´s edge. For me, a little piece of heaven on earth.

Enjoy, my nature loving friends.

Peace,

Carla.

What My 10,000 Tenants Tell Us About The Economy

This very real interview with a property management company or large landowner is very eye opening. 

As a Canadian, I understand this is not the same as my native Canada....but is definitely worth a viewing if you have any interest at all in what the average joe is facing in terms of affordable housing and the process of renting.

It is also a great ¨behind the scenes¨ peak at what landlords are doing in order to keep happy tenants and protect their assets.

Peace and do leave a comment on this video. 

Carla

Do We Let Breathe?

Tweet

With greater authority and remote access comes greater temptation to micromanage and disturb natural processes. Many natural processes have been cycling for hundreds and thousands of years. They are beautiful to behold in all their rugged consistency. Natural processes are not perfect, but they are steady and they always move gently forward.

Cameras are everywhere now. They are not just viewing what we do in public spaces, but also collecting data about how we live,work and shop, worship..... how long we linger in certain spaces and much much more. 

It used to feel comforting that when you had a cell phone in your hand, that you could always reach out for assistance or reach a family member if there was an emergency.

But things are now much more complicated now. Our ¨smart ¨ phones and other ¨smart¨ devices in our homes and workplaces are collecting so much data about all we are and all we say and type and where we go and how fast or slow we go there. Every aspect of our lives has been sliced and diced, collected somewhere large or small, hidden or public ......and in many cases, sold to companies or governments who may benefit from that data.

In the business world too, there are a plethora of methods that managers can use to monitor and micromanage those whom they believe are their underlings. Cameras, keystroke monitors, screen recorders. Some of this monitoring is revealed to the underlings, and some of it is not. 

The thought that has occupied my mind this morning is simply this. Are we still allowing people to breathe? Are we trusting those around us to grow and prosper that which is within their care, or are we so mistrusting that we feel we must micromanage every moment of another human being´s day? Just because we can see and hear and monitor every moment of an employee´s day, doesn´t mean we should try to virtually control their every action. Humans needs to breathe. When humans sense that their every moment is under surveillance...they start to behave in less human ways.

I don´t know if you have ever had the misfortune of doing telemarketing and being handed a ¨script¨ which the employer expected you to utter word for word to whichever ¨target¨ you connected with on the phone. Having the words you speak controlled 100% by an employer is truly a terrible thing to experience.

So what I am proposing is the opposite of micromanaging and overbearing control.

I am talking the spiritual habit of holding up the greater good. I am talking about having faith in humanity and bringing joy and liberty to our daily lives. Let´s face it....no one likes to be micromanaged. Even when there is the possibility of making an error, we still don´t want to be micromanaged. Our inner being instinctively knows we are not created for this. Our spirits were created to sing with individuality and imagination.

I realize that in the workplace or other organizations we come across situations where we need ¨coaching¨. But coaching people and controlling people are 2 entirely different approaches. When we coach another human being, we are acknowledging their own desire to do well, to improve and increase in whatever they are putting their hand to.   A person who submits to coaching is aware of their own power to succeed or fail and is aiming for success. People who are success minded love to be coached, because they know it will provide increase in their lives. Coaching is empowering. Controlling is not.

Conversely, when we micromanage another human being, we are saying quite boldly that we do not trust their instincts, we do not trust their desire to improve and are circumventing their own autonomy with our own oppressive desire to control another human being.

If you have been blessed with a position of supervision, or management in any kind of organization,  I pray that you will choose the option of coaching rather than controlling. By choosing to coach you will be honoring the humanity and dignity of those you supervise.  What goes around always comes around. Sowing seeds of respect for other humans into your daily life breeds respect into your own future and the future of your loved ones. An atmosphere of dignity and honor has healing powers and brings peace to all who have the privilege of living in it.

Create an atmosphere of respect and consideration. Create an atmosphere where you sow kindness and gentle suggestions into an over controlled and over monitored generation. It´s really hard to turn back technology.  But you can choose honor and dignity and considerate kindness.

Peace,

Carla

When you Hear an Honest and Refreshing Perspective

99.999 percent of us are getting our sources of info from media of all sorts and formats.

When I sense that a certain writer or blogger or youtuber is truthful, I pay attention. I tend to bookmark those content creators and I often try to give a shoutout to some of them when I get the chance. 

I want to promote people who are interested in spin, or appeasing some kind of sponsor.

So, today I just wanted to mention a very very tiny thing I noticed about Mr Robin Greenfield.

He is a counter culture type of person who tries to live and exemplify a lifestyle with what he calls the ¨trappings¨ and lifestyle of modern man.

THis one thing I noticed that I have NEVER heard anyone talk about, is that in all the loud endorsements that folks have for recycling household tins and plastics, NO one has yet talked about the cost of cleaning this items to prepare for the recycling bin.

No one mentioned this UNTIL I heard Robin Greenfield speak about this.

He mentioned in one of his youtube videos that he was consciously thinking about how much water is used and/wasted during the process of washing out a food can before being able to toss it into a local blue or green recycling bin. WHO else do you know thinks like that???

Most of us think little about the cost of tap water, let alone how much tap water is used just to wash out a tin can or glass jar before placing it into our own recycling bins that collect the goods before we set them at the curb for city wide recyclable collection.

What do you think about that issue? Do you think it isn´t wasteful to use tap water to wash or rinse out all recyclable items before you place them in your recycle bin? Do you think that water is well used? Do you mind paying for that tap water that you use to wash out your recyclables?

Do tell. And by the way, if you have heard of anyone else who has mentioned this issue before? I would be curious to hear anyone else´s perspective on this cost of tap water that is a hidden cost of recycling which falls onto the shoulders of the homeowner.

Also if you are interested in learning a little more about Rob Greenfield´s way of looking out at the world.....here is his youtube moniker https://www.youtube.com/@Robin.Greenfield

Peacefully yours,

Carla

Tweet

Purple Sauerkraut.... Made Cheap and Easily at Home

Here are all the things I use to make my own casual batch of homemade purple sauerkraut:

3 large strong glass canning jars, with canning lids with rings.

3 Bowls or plastic trays to catch drips during fermentation

10 days of time is all I needed to reach the ideal taste and level of ferment for my home in Ontario Canada.

Non Iodized Pickling Salt

Pure reverse osmosis water

1 Large Fresh Purple Cabbage Head

Clear Plastic Sandwich bags.

======================

I chopped approximately half of the head of cabbage into fairly chunky bits about the size of a silver dollar.

I sprinkled the pickling salt on the cabbage after chopping it and massaged it into the cabbage. 

(note that if you are uncomfortable with using your instincts to measure the salt, you can use the 2% salt by weight formula....simply by weighing the chopped cabbage first and then adding 2% of that weight in pickling salt)

Then I packed it tightly  into the 3 large canning jars , packing it down with the end tip of a wooden spoon....trying to push out the air between the cabbage bits.  Then I added some pure water to cover all the cabbage in the jar. 

Now, here is the fun part. I learned this next part from watching youtube videos. I took a clear plastic sandwich bag and filled just one bottom corner of it with water and placed it while still open at the top on the cabbage to weight it down so that all the cabbage is weighed down under the brine water. Then I rolled the edges of the bag down over the lip of the jar and then I tool the metal ring and screwed it on top of the plastic bag just tight enough to keep the bag in place and provide a clean airtight seal on the jar of pickled cabbage.

Then I placed the jar carefully in a drip tray and put it into a dark wooden cabinet to ferment.

Every 2 or 3 days I would check on the jars and replace the drip tray with a clean one and replace the plastic bags with new fresh bags filled with more clean pure water to weight the cabbage down under the brine water.

The beauty of using those canning rings with just the water filled plastic bags to weigh down the cabbage, is that you don´t risk any dangerous gas buildup due to the fermentation .The plastic can stretch with the gas buildup and with  a drip tray the bubbling over will be caught and won´t damage your cabinet.

When I wanted to check it it was ripening well enough, I used my senses of taste and smell to see if I could identify the right level of ferment and saltiness. ( I added extra salt when I felt that the pickling process tasted too watery.

When I did my final taste test on the sauerkraut it had been 10 days since I had begun the ferment. 

I realize that this time frame is ideal for the temperature inside our home and the other factors such as the level of humidity and the ripeness of the cabbage etc.

I feel it is important when I make homemade fermented products like this, that I stay in tune with what  I taste and smell and feel about the product. Fermentation is sometimes unpredictable and you need to be willing to throw foods out if you feel that some kind of harmful bacteria has begun to sprout in your beloved fermented creation. (Moldy or unclean foods should not be used for making any kind of pickles or fermented products.)

This may seem obvious, but when making sauerkraut make sure that all your utensils and jars are spotlessly clean. If some stray bits of the cabbage stick to the edges or neck of your jar during the process, just take some paper towel and wipe them clean off the jar. Keep the neck and lip and lids of the jar as clean as possible. This will protect the ferment from unwanted bacteria.

The final step is to add the metal lid to the canning rings and put the fermented cabbage jar into the refridgerator for storage. Yumm!

Have you ever done any natural fermentation at home?

Do tell!

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Overspending on Basics?

Sometimes when folks are in a bind.... they keep their low budget shopping very confidential. They think, of course, that they are the only ones who count their nickels when buying their basic needs. 

I am writing this post to remind you that the stores you shop in are GREATLY aware of the discounts and grand totals that you can afford. Stores don´t just market to the rich. Some stores yes, may market only to luxury shoppers, but there is a multitude of stores that are seeking the shopping dollars of those who shop frugally. 

A dollar is a dollar is a dollar. Retailers count dollars, not shoppers. They do not get bonus points for catering to rich clients. They get bonus points for being profitable, no matter who their customers are, they are OUT TO PROTECT THEIR PROFITS, nothing more and nothing less.

So, let me get to the point. I was shopping this week for some simple bath bars of soap. I was feeling like I didn´t want to overspend, so I thought, why don´t I check for a multipack of Ivory soap bars. Did you know I could not find any multi-packs online for Ivory soap at a certain large retailer for under 6 dollars Canadian? I could only find one little cream colored bar of soap (not Ivory) for $2.54. Canadian funds. 

The weight on the package was only 100 grams. I find that rather unusual. So, in my understanding, that particular retailer was taking advantage of the basic need for folks need for simple bars of soap, by refusing to offer a lower cost multipack, even if the brand of the soap was considered a low end brand.

So, friends that is where we may need to jot down some notes. When you begin to notice certain items being ¨controlled¨ in the marketplace with ¨higher than normal¨ pricing, take a few notes. Write down the quantity of what you are seeking ( the weight and/or volume) and the brand and the date you were shopping and what store you were in or what online retailer you were browsing.

The reason I pasted a photo of a jar of Canada Red pasta sauce in this post is for an example of what we can choose when we want to keep the cost of basics low and still get exactly what we need. 

A local retailer sells one jar of 640 ml of Canada Red pasta sauce for $2.77 in Canadian funds. 

In my estimation that is a reasonable price currently for a large jar of pasta sauce that is available within a reasonable distance from my residence.

Sometimes, it is helpful to get some concrete lists going of what you can buy and where for reasonable prices. Make your list easily accessible and stay organized. For example, maybe your local dollar store is a good place to buy table salt. Maybe you find that price to be better than at your local grocery store and you trust the brand that is on the label of table salt at that dollar store. Add that item to your list if you are satisfied with the value. 

Value is something that is often in the eye of the beholder...but there is wisdom in honoring your OWN sense of value and not being swayed by all the propaganda and marketing that modern retailers throw at us.

Honor your wallet and your own decision making skills and carve out a fabulous discipline of buying products that meet YOUR demands for quality and price and brand and availability.

Children do not have an innate understanding of value and money. It is a skill to develop as you mature and independently manage your funds. Writing down lists of items that meet YOUR requirements for quality, price and location is a great idea to help you and your family keep quality items in stock in your home.

That´s all for now. Congratulations on your endeavor to develop personal discipline with your money and overcoming the outside influences that may tempt you to spend more than you want to. 

Peace and productivity,

Carla

Tweet

Adapt or Die (Full Episode) | Life Below Zero

Life Below Zero---one of my favorite northern reality shows.

I am always delighted when I am able to catch an episode, old or new of this series.

I respect characters who are proud of their survival skills and the traditions that go along with that mastery.

Some of the characters in this series, such as Sue Aikens, explain to the viewers how they crave the extreme isolation. They love the challenge of it, and the ability to manage their own lives and livelihood in their own style.

I don´t think I have ever actually met someone so extreme and independent as Sue Aikens, but perhaps some of my dutch relatives, past or present might disagree. I was raised by strong dutch work ethic and the strength of character that defines someone who refuses to give up and never gives in, when faced with an obstacle.

Do you enjoy these Life Below Zero episodes? What do you learn from watching them beat the odds?

Do tell,

the comment section is always open to you.

Peace,

Carla

The Ability to Seek and Serve God

Twas thinking again..... I like to do that once in a while.

Was thinking about how it´s hard for some of us in this modern society to be able to seek God. We just don´t necessarily have a frame work in our current society for what that means. What does it mean to seek God? How do I know how?

And so, in prayer today, I was praying for someone. That someone has an incredible capacity to live large, to give their all to a strongly held belief. That person needs the peace of God.

We may be able to do a lot of things in life.....to accomplish great feats of strength and beauty. But what is the hallmark of someone who knows how to connect with God their Maker? What happens to a person externally when other people can sense that person loves God? Is loving God the same as serving Him?

I don´t know much. But I would say, that when I cross paths with someone I suspect of having a close walk with God, I notice that they are usually not very talkative. They have a quiet inner knowing of the world of the Spirit. They don´t seem to feel the need to compete for attention or get awards and trophies for what they have done in this life. They seem to have an air about them which steers us towards the future, a future where God is. They don´t have a pressing need for any particular material item. They have a contentedness in their smile and patience in their tone.

Well friends, not sure what the purpose of this post is, other than to encourage those of you who are stubbornly praying for someone who has yet to yield to God. I want to encourage you not to be discouraged. Don´t give up. Don´t feel like you are wasting your time. Earnest prayer for another human being is never wasted. Prayer is an extremely valuable expenditure of time.

It may be, that when you are praying, you may need to be asking God to give that person on your prayer list, to be given the ability  to seek and serve God. It may not come naturally for some folks. 

Ask God to stir up in that person a love for Jesus. Ask God to reveal Jesus to that person. Ask God to stir up a desire for the Word of God and the ability to understand it. Ask God to lead righteous people into their path. And if you get tired of the burden of prayer, ask God to raise up intercession for that person. You need not bear this burden alone.

Sometimes we do not know how to pray. Sometimes we do not know what it will take before we see a breakthrough in someone´s life. Some folks have thick walls built around many layers of their life. It is only the mystery of God that will unravel that fortress. It is not your responsibility to unravel a person. In fact, it might be perceived as downright nosy to try to ¨figure out¨ how someone is supposed to come to God.

It is not my place to oversee anyone´s journey with or towards God. It is only my duty to pray until I see or sense a breakthrough......a proverbial connection between a human being and his/her Creator. I can not walk in another person´s shoes towards God. But I certainly can bring a person´s name in prayer to God in heaven so that God will move obstacles out of their path to joy and peace and wholeness.

Resist, my friends, the desire to understand all that God is doing in a human being´s life. We do not need to understand all of God´s ways. We rarely do.

 We simply must trust and pray. Pray and persist in prayer until you see and sense the breakthrough. Pray until you sense the peace that only comes when a person has peace with God their Saviour.

Well, my friends, that is all.

Be well and enjoy this beautiful evening, wherever you may be.

Peace,

Carla.

Guess Who Can Solve Inflation?

My Dear Friends,

I say this with complete humility. I say with all gentleness and kindness. I say this with an understanding of how business works.

If you own a business, you have the power to stop inflation. But But But....you may say, I only control a very small tiny part of the market. But yes, you can exercise restraint when and how you raise prices in that tiny but VERY IMPORTANT corner of your world.

If everyone lives with an unrelenting competitive spirit and raises prices as high as the market will bear, we will never stop the run-away train of inflation. Greed does not have any morals. Greed will steal food from a child. Greed will steal homes from the elderly. Greed will not have mercy.

If you are blessed to have a position of authority in your company, you can make a modest choice the next time you need to decide upon your next price increase. I am not suggesting that you run your company into a deficit. I would still encourage you to always protect the profitability of your business and the success of your workforce. 

 I am merely suggesting that just because people might be willing to pay ANY price you charge for your product or services, doesn't mean you SHOULD charge  the HIGHEST possible price.

Consider charging a reasonable price. Consider charging a price that you know a struggling single mother could afford. Consider charging a price that your elderly disabled grandparent could afford. Consider a price that would help in a very small way, for that grandparent to be able to afford to stay in his home instead of having to live in a retirement home.

Consider charging a price that will let you sleep at night, knowing that you are not gouging your neighbor.

Consider charging a price that you know pleases your God.

And no, you might not win a Nobel peace prize.  You may think that no one will notice your restraint and compassion in your pricing strategy. But know that these things, although often very quiet and seemingly invisible, are very much noticed. Your competitors will notice and your customers will notice. You will have slowed down that freight train. It is not longer a run-away train. It has become a slow moving tourist train with happy passengers.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Let the Flora Flourish

Let the flora flourish in your life.

This time of year, especially in Ontario,Canada.... folks get yearning for the warm and sunny summer days and they try to think of anything that will remind them of the best summer days.

Consider growing or rooting some brightly colored plants around your home.  You may need to buy a cheap grow light to help get your cuttings some vital lighting. There is nothing more beautiful and welcoming than some houseplants bursting with color and vibrancy. You don't need to spend a lot of money to bring a little plant life into your home. Try to use pots with drainage, healthy potting soil and a plastic or clay guard to protect your table top from any excess water that escapes the pots.

What do you do in the winter to keep your spirits up?

Tweet

Carrying A Tiny Home on Minimum Wage in Canada

Photo by Hama Haki on Unsplash

If the politicians are listening....this is my wish for my country.

Canada, specifically Ontario, which is my province in Canada, has had BIG raises to it´s minimum wages over the past several years.

The current minimum wage in Ontario for an adult is 

$16.55 per hour.

Based on a 40 hour work week that would bring in $662 gross income per week before taxes and other deductions are taken off. Based on a 4 week month, that would total $2648 per month gross income.

If the politicians and social service networks want to make Ontario a livable region for all income levels in the coming years, then they need to address the viability of tiny homes. Tiny homes are the only possibility to relieve the severe financial stress that many low income folks are experiencing just from trying to keep a roof over their heads. 

Ontario has a large portion of students and single people who simply want to have an affordable housing option that is safe and does not require them to get into debt. Tiny homes are a way out of the current housing mess in Ontario.

I have spoken to a lady who is spending 2 thirds of her income just paying for her mortgage and that does not include her car payment and other household expenses. This kind of nightmare is not unusual in today´s Ontario. Although there have been significant raises in wages for certain segments of the population, much of these raises still do not equal the rise in the costs of living for the average Ontario resident.

The biggest hurdles for tiny home developers is the zoning and construction laws. Municipalities must be willing to host tiny home villages, that have significantly different property taxes embedded into their ¨formula¨. I believe that we would not have the same ¨BRAIN DRAIN¨ in Canada if we successfully built up viable tiny home villages. Folks still love our schools and employment opportunities. It is the cost of living that is chasing folks out of our country while we have spent thousands of dollars educating them, only to lose them to countries with lower costs of living.

We can not reasonably expect folks to stay in our beautiful country if the math does not add up.

Yes, we have a high standard of living compared to third world countries, but the average income is finding it hard to maintain that standard and still save for retirement and emergency cash reserves.

Middle income Canadians are forgetting about vacations because their incomes are consumed by the plethora of costs just for basic needs.

We need to foster a ¨tiny home positive¨ atmosphere into Ontario´s building codes. Property taxes and building codes MUST become FRIENDLY to the Tiny Home Movement. The ideal tiny home owner´s dream would be to be able to successfully own a tiny home on a full time minimum wage job. Do we have the political will to get this done? Are we going to make life more reasonable for the entry level working men and women in our country? New Canadians are not asking for mansions on entry level wages. They are asking for the ends to meet. They are asking for life without the assumption of debt.

I believe that tiny homes are the answer to this riddle. Do you agree?

Tweet

How to Make Money from a Public Park

Ok, everybody wants to learn how make more money. Enter the phenomenon of the public park.

What folks don´t realize that the City and provincial planners who design public parks have already done a lot of the leg work that commercial real estate enterpreneurs invest in. 

Regional planners want public parks in places that are beautiful and convenient and easy for humans to access. Therefore it is a logical step for an entrepreneur to take advantage of these same attributes.

What do many consumers hate about public parks? The high parking fees! Therefore if you have property near a public park that you can monetize into temporary or event based parking spaces, you have yourself a new cash cow. Folks who take advantage of the high traffic of special events that occur in public parks are the smart money makers. They see what tired travellers want. Cheap parking and good quick food that they can gobble on their way in or out of their favourite concert or event venue.

Maybe you know someone who has a Hot dog cart but doesn´t know where to place it? Hot dog carts or ice cream trucks or french fry trucks are prime examples of businesses that should take advantage of popular tourist attractions, such as public parks.

Popular concerts and music festivals are often hosted within public parks and by lakesides. Instead of paying heavy rental fees for participating in the festival itself, consider seeking out small places where you can set a fast food cart of truck near the festival, but not ON the festival grounds. That way your fast food business will have access to the festival traffic without the high cost of renting a festival tent or booth.

Well, that´s all the juicy money nuggets I have for you today. Stay tuned for more.....

Peaceful productivity,

Carla

Tweet

When A Leader has Lost His Authority

I had noticed..... the words were similar, similar to what I had heard from the same pastor years ago....and yet something was different.

Years ago, when I would listen to a certain preacher, I would be rapt with attention. I would take note of the principles he was teaching and chew on them mentally and spiritually for days....weeks ...months, even years.

A few months ago, I heard that same preacher preach and the words lacked any kind of sense of authority. I was a tad bewildered. What had changed? Was it me? Probably....Was it the preacher? Maybe....maybe not. Maybe my spiritual journey was different now than it was years ago. I suppose I had to give myself permission to change and grow.

As in Ecclesiates chapter 3..... there really is a time and season for all things that God encourages. Perhaps this too was occurring in my spiritual walk for a purpose.

I suppose there is a rosy phase we go through when we think that nothing a preacher can do could possibly be less than angelic....until we come to grips with the fact that we are living in an imperfect world. While we may experience ¨heaven on earth¨ when we sense God´s presence.....we need to be grounded enough not to fall when we don´t feel so quite so comfy, cozy and sweet. 

When we feel that we are no longer being fed adequately by a certain church leader, it is up to us to ask God to lead us to the spiritual meat that we are meant to consume... And yes, that always leads to the bible.

Sorry to be so boring about this...but it needs to be said. You want to be strong in your christian walk? You want to learn to stand on your proverbial feet? You need to dig into the bible in whatever format you are able to consume it....visually or through audio formats. It isn´t just a one time snack....a hobby you pursue once in a blue moon.  For Believers, the bible is a lifetime dancing resource, that may become  a part of the fabric of one´s life. In season and out of season, the word of God stands alone. He does not ask for our approval. He simply is.

It is non-negotiable. So, instead of playing favorites finding a trendy pastor or preacher of the day, become a cheerleader of the One who wrote the book, God Himself. Follow God with your heart, with whatever means you can and are able to.

You don´t need to fall apart if your pastor misses the mark in his/her sunday sermon. You don´t need to start skipping church the because some sermons have lost their zing. 

You can stand and pray. Pray for your pastor or pastors, whomever they are..... male or female. Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to rest upon them. Pray for their access to God´s Word, for their minds to be opened to the holy bible.

You can take your favorite hard copy of the bible to church with you, no matter if they have bibles on a back table or not, or even in the pews. The presence of a bible in your hand says something in the spiritual realm. I have seen it. People tread differently in your presence when you have a bible in your hand.

Learn to trust God´s Spirit. Ask Him for His leadership. Proverbs 3:6 says ¨in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight¨.

Brothers and sisters, we are human, and sometimes we put preachers and pastors on impossible pedestals. We think that they can do no wrong. But our faith is in our Heavenly Father who sent his Son Jesus to redeem us and feed us and lead us by His Spirit. We are strong in God and sometimes we need to 

abide in prayer for our leaders. Perhaps I shouldn´t say ¨sometimes¨. Perhaps we should ALWAYS be in prayer for our leaders. Pray for their health and wealth and character. Pray for their spouse and for their children. Plead the blood of Jesus over their family and their investments. Pray that their incomes will be secure. Pray for their safety and peace of mind. Pray for protection upon them from the wolves.

And when you sense that things are not quite as anointed as they used to be....try not to point fingers....but do... dig deeper into God, deeper into His Word, and stand strong. Stand strong by kneeling regular. Strength is born in confident humility. We walk under God´s command, not our own. As much as  I love democracy...(and voting day is always a happy privilege)...I realize that there is no democracy in heaven. God rules....and His authority has no end.

Well, that´s all for today, friends. May your spirit be blessed this friday, as we approach the weekend. May your hearts be secure in the love of your Heavenly father. May your minds be secure in the foundations God has built into your life.

Peace,

Carla.

Tweet