Wednesday, August 29, 2018

DO YOU CHANGE YOUR OWN OIL TOO?

While searching for a husband, one of my "requirements" was someone who could fix my car.  I drove a 1981 Toyota Celica that my dad bought new when I was 3 years old.  That car went forever.  My husband did meet the "fix my car" qualification, and I snatched him up quick.  My father-in-law drove an 18-wheeler for over 40 years and his boys were his mechanics. He loves to tell the story about the time he had to rebuild the engine in his Kenworth.  The oldest 4 boys (my husband included) took a week off of school to help.  After the third day, the school superintendent came by to see what was going on at the Stoddard house and why none of the boys were in school.  He took one look at what they were doing and told them all to keep going, that "they were receiving a better education at home" that week.  Early in our marriage, we moved to the DC Metro area and took the old Toyota Celica with us.  One day, Jeff had to work at Bolling Air Force Base and somewhere between the  guard station and the parking lot, the muffler fell off.  Jeff got out and threw it in the back seat.  He discovered that the entire exhaust pipe had rusted through and he needed to replace it.  And replace it he did, right in front of our townhouse.  Our neighbor came home and really had no idea what he was doing, but noticed it was a big project.  She asked, "Wow, do you change your own oil too?"  We wondered what she would have thought had she known he was replacing the whole exhaust pipe.  

I have (almost) always been grateful that my husband is so handy.  He keeps our cars running and is continually doing something around the house--I guess I should include that he built the said house from the ground up.  His skills have saved us a lot of money over the years, helping us to meet our financial goals.

Not all these skills need to be home or auto related.  Learning to sew, bake bread, or gaining other homemaking abilities can also help to keep money in the family coffers.

Section 8 and 9 in One for the Money by Marvin J. Ashton talk specifically about learning skills, getting an education, and investing in home ownership.  I really like the way he talked about education as not only a degree, but skills to learn--making education a continuing process.  And, when in doubt, there's You Tube.  He also covers beautifying and continually improving our homes, and using our home as an investment instead of a consumption.

I challenge you to read sections 8 and 9 of One for the Money and set a goal to do something mentioned in these sections.  Then, follow through!  

For previous posts about One for the Money, go hereherehere, and here

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

WORKING TO LEARN

This last weekend, I had an experience I hope to remember all my life.  It was one of those "mom moments" when all the worry, heartache, second-guessing, and doubt just melted away and I got a glimpse of my daughter's soul and realized, once again, how amazing she is.  Now, I cannot guarantee that some of those doubting feelings will not return from time to time, but I am so grateful for these moments as tender mercies from my Heavenly Father that help me realize that my kids have a mission and a purpose far beyond what I can see--and they are working to fulfill it.

For the last 18 months, Sarah has been working on her play.  She had a lot of help along the way, but she wrote the storyline, composed the music, authored the lyrics, held auditions, rehearsed with actors, delegated responsibilities, calmed fears, instilled vision, publicized, and when all was ready to go, she successfully troubleshooted a huge problem that could have derailed the entire production.  And that is just the stuff I know about.

Spellbound was performed last Friday and Saturday.  She made it happen.  And it was exceptional.  (Thanks to all of you who came to support her!).  But, the process was as important as the end product, and the goal was not just to entertain.

I was talking to someone just before the show on Friday and he asked if Sarah was getting college credit for doing this, because it certainly was a notable amount of work.  Well, no--but I do consider it part of her education.

Education is defined as "the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process." I  see these processes happening all the time both in and outside the classroom.  I think the key is to purposefully channel these processes so that we do gain an education and learn from them.  Not all education has to "count" for credit or some other accolade.  Many of our educational experiences may seem regular or mundane, but if we consciously work to learn something from everything we do, we can gain so much.  I look at my kids from my youngest as he has daily educational experiences learning to eat with a spoon, all the way up to my oldest who is creating her own educational experiences so that she can conquer the world.  Both have value, meaning, and importance, and both help each of them to fulfill their individual missions the Lord has for them.  

I challenge you to take some quiet time reflecting on the mission(s) Heavenly Father has for you.  What can you do to have an educational experience: purposefully learning something to help you, your family, or someone else.  Don't forget to write it down!

I realize this type of education is different than probably anything you have ever participated in, but trust me.  Trust that the process is as important as the end goal.  Seek to purposefully learn along the way so that you become better because of it.

I will give you an example, hopefully to help illustrate this concept.  (Feel free to copy, I don't mind!).  One of my missions is to be a successful mother.  This encompasses so much!  One of my current educational goals is learning to become better at laundry, something pretty mundane.  So, as part of this laundry education process I will set goals for myself.  (1) Do at least 3 loads every day (except Sundays)  (2) Do not let wet clothes sit in the washer overnight (3) As I sort/fold I will count my blessings and strive for a happy attitude--focusing on the positive instead of the negative aspects of laundry (I expect to be educated in the positive aspects of laundry as I do this).  My desired outcomes are that I (and my family) will have clean clothes every day that do not smell from being left in the washer too long, and I will have a happier, more thankful attitude towards laundry instead of grumbling and putting it off until it is beyond absolutely necessary.  I am sure I will learn more along the way that I am not currently aware of.  I will pray and ask Heavenly Father to help me in this endeavor and help me to learn what I need to from more purposeful laundry-doing.  When I feel like I have received my laundry education--I will apply this learning every day and look for another area in my mission to be educated in.  

Make constant education a part of your life.  It is one of the principles of Provident Living and something our God wants us actively engaged in.  You will be blessed for your efforts.

STAYING VIGILENT

Last week, we drove to the “motherland” (i.e. Utah and Idaho) to visit family.  Jeff’s parents celebrated their 50thanniversary and it was super fun to see the 40 plus cousins together.

We left early in the morning to get through the desert before it got too hot, but as we headed north, I was not prepared for what I saw.  As we approached Lake Elsinore, we could see a rim of fire on the mountain.  I heard about the Holy Fire that started in Orange County last Monday, but I had no idea that it had traveled into Riverside County or that it could be seen from I-15.  As we drove past Lake Elsinore and Corona, I could more easily see the orange glow in the dark.  My stomach turned into knots and I mentally started thinking about what I still need to do in case of a fire.

I know we have talked much about fire preparedness since the Lilac Fire in December, but as Brother LeBlanc said, “It is not a matter of if, but when.”  I feel like fire preparedness deserves some more discussion.

We listened to the radio as we drove through Riverside County and the main county-wide concern was poor air quality from smoke and ash.  Many communities were not in an evacuation threat, but they were still impacted.  Health officials recommended that residents stay indoors with the windows closed as much as possible.  I thought about how prepared I am to stay home for a week or two at a time if I needed to.  

On top of that, while we were in Utah, a massive blaze was burning on the south side of Utah County, sending smoke to settle in the valley.  Sophie walked outside and said, "It smells like smores!"  I wish that were the case.  All we could smell was smoke almost the whole time we were there.

Since our December Fire, I have assembled our 72 hour kits—which was a monumental task and I prepared car kits for each of our vehicles.  I still need to take photos of everything in my house, including in my cupboards and closets, for Insurance purposes.  I also need to tape that list of what to take if I have to leave quickly for when my brain shuts down and I go into flight or fight mode.  

I challenge you to analyze where you are with your fire preparedness.  Take note of the good things you have done to prepare and make a plan to accomplish what still needs to happen.  If you need help or ideas, you can refer to this post or Brother LeBlanc’s handout from April.   Being prepared is never a waste of time.  After all, If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

LONG TERM STORAGE GOAL MONTH 4--GRAINS

If I try to imagine my life without grains, it might look something like this:  No whining from 3 or 5 year olds that we are having oatmeal for breakfast again! But also not excited squeals when I say Lucky Charms and Cheerios are on the breakfast menu.  No need to make homemade bread to keep grocery costs low, but no warm fresh-from-the-oven bread to melt butter and honey over.  Almost everything we eat has some grain form...and it is important.

"All grain is ordained to be... the staff of life..." (D&C 89:14).

Grains are the most basic part of our everyday diet--or at least it should be.  This part of food storage is possibly the most overwhelming.  The basic food storage requirement is at least 400 lbs of grains per person.  For my family that is a whopping 3,800 lbs.   There are several varieties of grains ranging from wheat to wild rice.

I store mostly wheat, rice, and oats as that is what my family eats (and these tend to be the least expensive).  If you love quinoa, millet, and barley those are also great grain options.  If you are on the gluten-free spectrum, spelt is a great wheat replacement.

The most important rule to follow when deciding what grains to store is the question:  "What will me and my family eat?"  That should dictate your purchasing.  Oldways Whole Grain Council has a wonderful website describing different types of grains, where you can buy them and how to use them.

I have found that flour and white rice are the best price at Costco, while wheat (red or white), oats, and much more is available at Winco.  I will say again that Winco is our best local resource for food storage.  Anything they carry in their bulk bins is available to buy in a large bag or box.  You can order a few things on their website, but most of their stock is in-store.  It is worth going by to have a look!  Once you order, they will call you to come get it at your local store.  Do be aware that they only take cash, check, or debit card.

Hopefully you have decided what containers to use and where to store your food.  You are going to need this when you get your grains!

I challenge you to begin your grain storage, and for an extra-added challenge:  Finish your grain storage.  This month is probably the most difficult, but I promise it can be done!

(Prior Challenges:  May, June, July)

Additional Storage Items


If you would like to add more to your long–term storage and preparedness, consider the following:
  • Oral higiene:  toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss
  • Laundry:  Detergent, dryer sheets, bleach, spot removers
  • Cleaning:  dishwasher detergent, dish soap, soap, ammonia, favorite sprays or cleaning supplies