Spiritual Warfare and Real Weakness

If you are weak in times of trouble, that is real weakness. 

If you see someone on their way to death or in danger of being killed, you must do something to save them. 

You cannot say, “It’s none of my business.” 

The Lord knows everything, and he knows why you do things. 

He watches you, and he will pay you back for what you do. 

Proverbs 24:10-12

We will be held accountable for what we do and do not do. We can make excuses, but it will not set us free of our responsibility. 

Engage in the battle, fellow Christians. War is waging all around us. People are in danger of eternal damnation. We can turn a blind eye, but we will be held accountable for it. 

We must realize who the real enemy is, unite together, stand in our faith, boldly speak the Truth, and pray against evil and for each other in this fight. We have nothing to fear. Joshua 1:9 

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
I Corinthians 16:13

Lending Out Siblings

A friend asked Joshua if he would let her draw blood to help her complete her nursing assignment. Not only is he letting her stick him, he volunteered to let her stick Bethany too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

to our family and friends

near and far, old and new
close and estranged
You are loved!

I hope you all have a wonderful day reflecting on 
and giving thanks for God's goodness!

Our family is having a different type of Thanksgiving this year.
It will also be one with a "first" for us.
However, we will be together, and that is enough for all of us!

Something different for our Thanksgiving this year is that I decorated our home for Christmas early. Everything except the Christmas tree is done. We will put the ornaments on as a family Thanksgiving Day evening as we always have.

Over and over I marvel at the blessings of my life: 
Each year has grown better than the last. 
Lawrence Welk

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, 
turn routine jobs into joy, 
and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. 
William Arthur Ward

It is always possible to be thankful for what is given 
rather than resentful over what is withheld. 
One attitude or the other becomes a way of life.
Elisabeth Elliot

51 Years Closer to Being with Him

To come to Thee is to come Home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest after long labor, to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes. -Charles Spurgeon

Today, I turn 51!! I was born on Thanksgiving Day in 1968!

I am celebrating it joyfully with my loved ones and friends while I count my blessings. I am blessed with good health and am not on any prescription medications. I am approaching the day for it but currently do not wear prescription glasses. I have all of my own teeth. I am physically active working in our home, on our farm, and in helping others. I met my Prince Clint Charming and married him. We are raising an amazing family filled with love for the Lord and each other. Our finances are in order, and our home is solid.

I am abundantly blessed with all I need plus enough to share generously with others. My God given talents were perfectly tailored to allow me to serve those placed directly in front of me. I feel and see evidence of God's Hand on my life. 

For decades, I was torn apart and felt lower than every other human being but escaped those chains and found my value in the Gift God gave to me. His name is Jesus and He offers you the same gift of salvation. It's real, and it's life/eternity changing!

To God be the glory for every single bit of it! I am blessed far, far beyond what I ever imagined could be possible for myself. I would not trade my life for anyone else's. I am His, and He is mine.

Today marks another year closer to realizing what is behind the veil. I am a bit closer to meeting "the One Who loves me more than all others combined" face to face. One day I will leave my family behind and run away with Jesus. My mind struggles to comprehend casting off this mortal form and stepping into eternity much like a caged bird would struggle to comprehend the vastness of the great outdoors. 

Birthdays are simply mile markers in this journey that has a glorious ever after ending.

“Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!
 I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God; 
Job 19:23-26


Amen! My flesh will see God!

bring me word of your unfailing love

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 143:8

Arrival of a Buddy for Chevelle

insulated

heat pack

Ranger arrived on the 19th

9" male, red foot tortoise

gifted to me by my loving family who hunted high 

and low for one during this time of year

We're motoring forward with the car theme for tortoise names.

Thanks again, Chris!

We opened it and enjoyed it on biscuits last Sunday!

Thank you for the thoughtful gift!

Thank you Richard!

Thank you Richard S. for the turkey you gifted to our family! 

We will make good use of it!

Thank you for always looking out for our family 

and for being such a thoughtful friend!

We truly appreciate everything you and your girlfriend 

have done for us over the years!

Update: Richard was very generous and gifted us with TWO turkeys!
Thank you so much!

Twinkie is Extremely Spoiled

This little two pound chihuahua is Amanda's fur baby Twinkie.

Twinkie is quite spoiled and enjoys a very luxurious lifestyle!

God's grace and power have no limit

We enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing view this weekend.


The deeper into the heart of God I go, 

the more the enemy will oppose me, 

but the more God will draw me. 

The enemy may be strong, 

but his strength is limited, 

whereas God's grace has no limit. 

A. W. Tozer

Dear Reader, the closer we get to the Lord and the more we do for Him, the more the enemy will fight against us. Aren't you thankful God is mighty? Aren't you thankful all we have to do is call upon Him for help?

 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Psalm 91:14-15

Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:19-21

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; 
the righteous run into it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10 

Caleb's Console Table

Caleb is making console tables to sell.
Contact the email address in the header for more info.

Signs are Going Up Again

From an adult child who does not live at home any more: 

"All of you are starting to drive her crazy again. She's putting her signs up!"

There is a measure of truth to that. There will be signs going up on how to be a good housemate in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. A polite note in view is more effective and more efficient than verbally reminding multiple family members and keeping track of which ones I've reminded.

Chevelle: Not Sharing!

Chevelle, my Mother's Day gift from my family, clearly does 

not plan on sharing meals with Ranger, my birthday and 

Christmas gift from my family.

They are both redfoot tortoises.

Pressure Canning Can Help You Practice Good Stewardship

I also pressure can leftovers from other meals preps. 

I purchased too many collards for us to eat at one time.

The mixed veggies were leftover from the roast beef meals we pressure canned.

Pressure canning leftovers like this keeps food from being wasted and saves valuable freezer space. 

When the freezer is getting too full, I start pressure canning to reduce the volume. This allows me to continue to take advantage of the sales in stores.

Dear Reader, not everyone can pressure can, and that's OK. Everyone can look for ways to be smarter about resources. What ways do you practice good stewardship in your own life? Where are you doing well? Where do you need to improve? How do you encourage others to be good stewards in their own lives?

"Honey, What's Cooking? The House Smells Great!"

pictured is 8 lbs of carrots with celery and onions waiting
to be stirred for even distribution

My three lovely ladies and I started prepping Monday and have been pressure canning since yesterday. If you are in the neighborhood, feel free to drop by and get yourself a few pints. We love to share! The pints are prepared in the early morning, and there is plenty of time to chat between canner loads. 

This week, it is going to be approximately 100 pints of pot roast. We aren't finished yet, so I don't have the final count. We've gone through 18 lbs of carrots at this point. I have not kept track of the onions or celery. I just chop and mix it until it looks about right. Cubed potatoes also go into the jars. I forgot to keep track of those too.

I've been pressure canning since 1995. For the roast with vegetables, I purchase the sirloin tip in the cryovac package (currently $3.08 lb) and cube it. (My SamsClub knows me and gives me the largest packages.) I prep the beef and most of the carrots, celery, and onions a day before I plan to start canning. I do the potatoes the same day. While the canner is running, I will chop more vegetables. 

I fill the jars 1/3 full of beef, add a handful of cubed potatoes, and then the carrot/celery/onion mix fills in the gaps. I fill the jars with water and pressure can for 75 minutes per pint. 

Pressure canning saves me a lot of work and time over the course of the year. I know if I am in the middle of something, I don't have to stop working to feed the gang. I also don't have to compromise on nutrition to get something on the table quickly. I can simply ask the family to open and heat their choice of a healthy, home prepared meal off of our shelves. The payoff is huge in time, money, and nutrition. 

I do keep some meals ready in the freezer, but I prefer pressure canned. That's because I do not have to worry about losing my money or time investment by a power outage. 

College students, neighbors, elderly friends, new friends have all appreciated the shelf stable home cooked meals when given as gifts. A basket of jars with a pretty dish towel, dish cloth, and wooden spoon makes a pretty gift!

Thank You Timmy!

Thank you Timmy for the gift of the venison to our family!

Last Daisies of the Year

Several large pots of these were looking 

delightful on my deck until our hard frost a few nights ago.
These were the last of them for this year.
It's time for these hard working plants to get a rest.
We'll see them again in the spring!

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Luke 12:27

Are you still worldly?

You are still worldly. 

For since there is jealousy 

and quarreling among you, 

are you not worldly? 

Are you not acting like mere humans? 

I Corinthians 3:3

Thank you!

Thank you everyone for the help in locating an adult male redfoot tortoise to purchase. Redfoots are unusual in that they like each other's company.

The tips found us one! 

My birthday and Christmas are coming early this year!

My loving family spoils me!
And by the volume of responses, so do my wonderful friends!

Thank you all!

Congratulations

Congratulations to friend and Clint's co-worker Chris K. for singing the National Anthem at the Norfolk Admirals game! You did a very fine job!

Anyone interested in listening can watch his performance here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfOP-K9ug08

He has also performed at the Tide's and Peninsula Pilots and a couple of others.

How Very True and How Very Deep

If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, 
for you are far worse than he thinks you to be. 
Charles Spurgeon

Psalm 16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned

Dear Reader, Our pride likes to puff our egos up and make us think we are more important than we really are. We rationalize in ways that our sin is less serious, less harmful than someone else's sins. The truth is there is no good in us other than Christ. Apart from Christ, we can accomplish nothing good. Apart from Christ, we have no hope or future. We each desperately need Jesus. 

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9-10 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Romans 10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The Farm is Becoming a Boat Yard

This happened before Caleb's lung collapsed. 

I was not at home. Clint arrived home when it was dark. Clint did not notice the boat when he arrived to pick something up before he headed to where I was. Our three youngest girls gathered around the windows as Clint left to see if he'd notice. As Clint backed up, the glow of the brake lights illuminated the trailer and the boat. 

I received a text saying, "Why is there a boat in the front yard?"

My response: "A boat?!! I don't know, but I'm guessing it's Caleb's!"

Clint went in the house and learned from Bethany it was indeed Caleb's!

Caleb is always working on something! This is his next project!

There are five or six boats on the farm now.

And when they had brought their ships to land,
they forsook all,
and followed him.Luke 5:11

Around Here November 2019

I am squeezing this in between scheduled events today. I am eating lunch, making a special dinner plan for Sunday, and adding to my grocery list too. Juggling so I can make it out of here by 2 p.m.! As always, please grade my writing with lots of grace.

Clint and I took some time away in October in between Caleb's first and second lung collapse. We did not go very far because we wanted to be able to get home quickly, just in case. We still had lovely views of a local river and a little luxury mixed in with a very peaceful and fun time. Then, it got crazy again! That's life! We hope to get a short time away again in January, but it might be February or later before that happens. The calendar is already full all the way through mid-April!

Clint is still carrying a heavy load at work and in our personal lives, but he is managing it well. I am doing everything I can to take the strain off of him. I am continually impressed by his dedication to me and our family. He loves us so well!

God has allowed Clint and I to accomplish something this year I think is quite an incredible accomplishment for a one income family of nine with three children in college and two homeschooling. The very few people we've told said it is very impressive! I can't share now, but I set a post to share what happened this year for ten years into the future. Hopefully we can share sooner, but, if not, it's there at any rate. It is ALL God's doing! 

I am so thankful to Billy C., Richard S., Amanda A., Timmy B., John G., Linda R., Larry, JW, and so many others for helping us while Caleb was in the hospital. We had some scary moments with some very real concerns for his well-being followed by a chaotic time. I met all of my obligations and deadlines with the exception of some cameras I have not been able to check yet. I could not have done it without help! 

I am trying to find time and places to plant 350 flower bulbs I was gifted and 200 bulbs I purchased. All of the daylilies I gave away in the spring unexpectedly came back to me as different flowers. You truly reap what you sow! I am looking forward to spring already!

ALL of my children ganged up on me and asked me to make my "fast foods" which are (home canned) meals. I make roast beef with vegetables, home raised pork with vegetables, a wide variety of soups, and certain vegetables. Evidently, the larder is bare of their favorites! So, I will be squeezing that in somehow too. 

My Christmas shopping was 95% DONE on November 1. I shop year around and started started shopping in earnest in September. My goal is to have it all wrapped before Thanksgiving. I also hope to break our tradition of decorating on Thanksgiving Day together and decorate a little earlier. 

Brandon just got back from a business trip in GA. He is currently updating his home and making changes inside and out. He, Joshua, and Caleb have plans to travel Europe together next fall. They are planning to meet up with our Polish son, Chris. It should be quite a fun adventure!

Amanda has had exciting news happen last year and this year. I don't feel it is wise to share yet, so we will just say there has been some rejoicing and lots of prayers for direction and wisdom. Sometimes it looks like it is going one way, and then it goes another. We are praying and watching what God does.

Joshua has really helped his boss with the restaurant while Caleb has been out. He was also a big help to me in getting heavy items moved around. He has not had much of a personal life lately but has some outings planned in the very near future. I am very thankful for how much he helped while Caleb was having health concerns.

Caleb will be doing more of the maintenance for his employer which means he will be earning quite a bit more. This starts once he is able to go back on the schedule. He can do that at his discretion. He was released by his surgeon on Monday because he has not used any pain medication at all since leaving the hospital. Caleb made so many friends of varying ages in the hospital. He even has some following his woodworking social media pages. When he went back a second time, some of them even remembered his name. The hospital he went to usually deals with the elderly, so Caleb's youth and energy was enjoyed by the hospital workers.

Bethany makes out like a bandit with her older siblings. Anything they don't want or can't use, trickles down to her. Clothes, shoes, electronics, furniture, and so much more are sent her way. The older siblings also bring home gifts and treats quite often to all of the younger girls. Bethany and Amanda have plans to do a few things to the truck Joshua passed down to Bethany soon. Bethany's confidence in herself has really grown lately. Bethany is sharp and witty!

Emily has become a tremendous help these past few weeks. She has taken over some painting for us and has done a great job with it. She really cares about doing her best at whatever she is doing. She is such a fun loving person and always has a smile. 

Hannah is a hoot! She can deadpan with the best of them and leave us in stitches! Her growth pattern is more like Bethany's than Amanda's or Emily's, so I'm thinking she will be short like our "Boo."

We've caught up with many of you, but there are a few regular readers we would like to hear from. Then, there are the new friends just starting to read. Send us an update through the email in the header and let us know how you are doing and how we can pray for you.

Dear Reader, I share with you one of my favorite verses in closing...

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

The Asbell Project

The Asbell Project was underway again last weekend! God really blessed our efforts and a lot of progress was made! It helped energize us all! Clint and I will be on site tonight from 5 p.m. until 10-11 p.m.

God even sent another encourager! She stopped her car in the middle of the street and thanked us for what we are doing for her community. She told us we are doing a "fantastic" job and encouraged us to keep up the hard work! She was very enthusiastic, and her energy was infectious!

Please keep praying with us for God to help us make progress quickly and allow us to bless many through this endeavor. 

I hope to update the website for TAP with pictures soon.

World Kindness Day

Today, November 13th, is World Kindness Day.

For those in Christ, every day should be spent looking for ways to be a blessing to others. Kindness is part of who we are in Christ. It is a by product of emulating and being changed by Him. Kindness should be something Christians practice daily to every person we can, not just once a year or only to those we prefer to be kind towards. 

Galatians 6:10 says we should favor other believers as we try to do good to all people. I believe this is meant to keep the family of believers strong and harmonious.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 
forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

Galatians 6:10 

Therefore, as we have opportunity, 

let us do good 

to all people, 

especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  

Caleb's Recovery at Home

11/4/2019: 

Taken 11/3: Caleb and Joshua enjoying the cards sent to Caleb.

Caleb arrived home late yesterday afternoon! All of his siblings were at home waiting for him when he arrived. I had his requested meal of Mama Asbell's Lasagna and three each of two different pies waiting. It was a happy reunion followed by a celebratory feast!

Caleb has a ways to go, but his surgeon said he is doing better than average! His lung and chest cavity are still inflamed and bleeding which was the goal as the two knit together. His body can absorb the fluid at this point. He can not have any anti-inflammatories.

Most patients are on hydrocodone and tramadol for a month after leaving the hospital which is why doctors do not let them drive or return to work. We were told to expect him to be on heavy pain killer for up to a month while needing pain relief for 2-3 months total.

Caleb has Rxs for both hydrocodone and tramadol but has not filled them. His pain level is 0 which has to be God answering prayers for his pain to be diminished. The surgeon and nurses could not believe the sudden change in his pain level that came after I asked everyone to pray. Thank you all again!

He is already at work on his college this morning!

He is having problems regulating his body temperature which could be from the blood loss or the weight loss from the events of the past month that put his BMI too low. His lung collapsed three times in October. The third time was right before his surgery.

Caleb has to get an x-ray of his lungs later this week. He can do that locally. Next Monday, he goes back to the hospital in Norfolk to see his surgeon. We are asking for prayers for a good report.

4:20 p.m. Caleb was allowed to take his bandage off and get his FIRST SHOWER since Sunday night! He said it felt "pretty good!" There is a concern with his incision sites. When I removed his bandage, it looked like he is developing a SSI (surgical site infection). I asked friends who are nursing professionals (one a wound care specialist), and they said it does look like an infection is trying to get started. We have cleaned and treated them with the Rx ointment given to us. We will use wound cleaner again later tonight. Clint, Caleb, and I will assess it in the morning and take action if necessary.

11/5 12:38 p.m. Caleb's incisions looked a little better this a.m. It's still "iffy." There is redness and two areas that look like infection. He is not running a fever, there are no streaks, the skin is just a tad warmer than the surrounding area, and he has no pain in that area. We will continue treating it as we are and assessing it frequently. Being on the surface isn't too much of a concern. Because an SSI could go into the muscle and then into his chest cavity, we have to keep a close eye on it.

Joshua is going to take Caleb to Williamsburg Sentara Hospital on Thursday for a post surgery x-ray that has been ordered. We were told by the surgeon we could have it done in Gloucester, but we have not been able to find a facility that will do it for him.

Starting later today or tomorrow, Caleb will travel with me locally until we have coverage for him at home. Thanks to helping friends, I have a lighter schedule but still have to do certain things. I can monitor his progress, which is quite good, and help him with the things he can't do for himself.

Caleb returns to the hospital Monday, November 11. He will be seeing his surgeon for a post cardiac thoracic surgery follow up. They will review the x-ray and give us information then. Please pray the aggressive mechanical pleurodesis surgery is successful so Caleb does not have to endure all of this again.

11/8 9:27 a.m.: Caleb had his x-rays done at Williamsburg Sentara yesterday morning. The experience was friendly, fast, and flawless! I wish other hospitals could operate as smoothly! After that, he and Joshua went out shopping and to a restaurant together. Later they visited CFA. Caleb was able to see his boss and co-workers. CFA is going to do a fundraiser to help our family with medical expenses which is very nice of them. Monday is the big day to get x-ray results, surgery outcome, and further instructions!

11/11 9:55 a.m. Caleb and Clint are on their way home from the appointment with the surgeon. They ran into dear friends from our hometown while leaving. The surgeon said the surgery was a SUCCESS!!! Praise God! His lung x-ray looked just like it should have! Because Caleb has not used any pain meds since he left the hospital and didn't get his Rxs filled, his surgeon has released him to drive and work. However, there is an issue. The nurses in the cardiothoracic hospital were not able to remove Caleb's stitches. Several tried many times. The skin has healed too thickly over top of them. The nurses were able to cut one, but they could not pull it out. They accidentally cut the tail ends off the other. There is no way to grab the knot to lift it and snip. They sent home antiseptic and a few other things to help up pull the stitches out at home. Please pray we can remove them at home. If not, he will have to be cut so they can remove them. He will have to have more stitches (not as deep) for that procedure. That will open him to another risk of infection and more scarring.

6:51 p.m. We tried some tips our sweet nursing friends gave us, but the one stitch that has been clipped will not budge. It pulls the skin on the other side (see: "hole" on image) inward. The harder we tug, (we didn't pull very hard) the further that hole is pulled inward. We think the knot is in there. Caleb said it is very painful which is not normal when removing stitches. Because the surgeon's incisions went through nerves, we are concerned we will cause nerve damage if we continue. The stitch that is intact is so buried in skin, it will be very painful for us to even try to lift it to snip one side. As much as we hate for him to have to be cut and then stitched back up again, we will make an appointment for him to have them removed.

7:09 p.m. The thoracic oncology nurse practitioner Caleb saw today said in an email we don't HAVE to get them cut out. She said his body will most likely push them out eventually, but we should get them checked locally if we can find someone to take him. The problem we've been having is that the competing hospital system in our county does not want to see him because he's been going to the other hospital. Then, because his charts say he is a cardiothoracic patient, none of the smaller doctor's offices will see him. They tell us to go back to Norfolk which is over 3 hours round trip. That's why we can't find anyone local to see him. The closest place is Williamsburg IF they will see him. Please pray for the Lord to lead us to what is best for Caleb.

11/12 6:27 p.m. Caleb told us he preferred we remove them if at all possible. We attempted, but the stitches are buried in skin. Clint called all of the local places again. They will not see him. Williamsburg Sentara just told us to call Norfolk. Norfolk wants it scheduled for next week. Clint is fed up. He is taking Caleb to Williamsburg Sentara's ER and plans to convince them to remove the stitches.

7:53 p.m. Finally!! After getting refused at some places and a run around at others, we found someone to take Caleb's stitches out in the Williamsburg Sentara ER! The PA there was able to take them out. Because the nurses in Norfolk did not understand the type of stitch used, they thought the stitches were too overgrown to be removed and would have to be cut out. This excellent PA explained their confusion to us and got the stitches out quickly without cutting Caleb! Thank you Lord for leading us to this knowledgeable man in the ER!

Chickfila is doing a fundraiser night and window jar for our family to help us cover our expenses. I will try to post when that will be.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for, reached out to, and helped our family through this! We are very appreciative and return the love to each and every one of you!

Removing Old Caulk (Sealant) and Shower Liner Tip for Large Families

Our shower doors fell apart while Clint was with Caleb in the hospital. We also had three cars break down...one of them twice, plumbing issues, wood stove obstacles, poacher problems, and more. We had many prayer requests big and small answered too. It was a very eventful time!

When they fell apart, I tried, but I could not see a way to repair the doors. I asked Bethany remove them while I took care of more pressing things. She did a great job!

I ordered an adjustable curved shower rod and extra long heavy duty liner with five thinner liners from Walmart Grocery, and Joshua picked it up as he left work.  I had used a bathroom with the curved shower rod in my recent travels and liked the extra room it provided. The extra long liner really helps keep the water inside of the shower. The weight of that liner seems to help keep it in place. 

The thinner liners will make the nicer liner last longer. We have three times the normal of two children, so things like shower liners don't last long! Then, we have very hard water stains from living along our beautiful York River which is full of heavy iron ore deposits. At 94 cents apiece, the thinner liners are easy solution to keeping our heavily used main bathroom looking nice. 

I put a few of the thinner liners on the rings at one time so all I need to do is remove the dirty one when the time comes. I cut it with scissors which is faster than opening all of the rings one by one to remove a liner. A clean liner is already waiting underneath. It's another time saving trick that has been working good for our family so far!

I let Bethany pick the shower curtain with one condition. It had to match our "ship" decor. She picked this:

Bethany has always loved these remarkable creatures.
For her art followers, she has two new drawings I will try to share soon.

I was given a tip from a professional plumber to use isopropyl alcohol to soften the caulk. It worked great! Bethany let it soak in for a few minutes, and then it came up easily with a scrubby pad. 

Dear Reader, I hope you are having a good day and know how special you are in God's kingdom. No matter who you are or what you do, you are valuable to our Father. He loves you more than any words can express.