Graceful Little Honey Bee

Extending Grace in Marriage

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Remember that time you undercooked the rice for the third time in a row and your husband extended you grace when you had to go out to eat yet again? Or maybe he didn’t extend any grace and made you feel like a failure. (Or maybe I’m the only one who’s ever been in this situation)

Grace: unmerited pardon or favor (my definition)

Grace. We all hope to receive it when we mess up, but we’re kinda stingy when extending it towards others, right? But why is that? Hasn’t God extended us massive amounts of grace by sacrificing His son to die so that we might have eternal life? And doesn’t he continue to extend us grace on a daily basis when we mess up or refuse to put Him first in our lives? We don’t deserve to have a personal relationship with our perfect God, but He grants us the grace to do so because He loves us. Scripture says:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. 
And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
-Ephesians 2:8
 
God extends us His grace as a gift. We haven’t earned it and we certainly don’t deserve it. Don’t you think this is a good model in how to treat our spouses? We should be happy for the chance to extend grace to our spouse simply because we are filled with the joy and thankfulness of knowing that God has first extended grace to us. Yes we should be extending grace towards our spouses (and other people as well) any chance we get, but its not that simple because our sinful selfish selves get in the way don’t they? So how do we begin to shut out our selfishness and show grace?
The only way to do this is through prayer and Christ working in you. Pick a verse and pray it over yourself. Pray to be convicted when you react in anger instead of grace and love. If you continue to pray these things then they will be fresh in your mind and God will begin to convict you when you are reacting wrongfully. Its not an easy thing to extend grace, but with the help and grace of God all things are possible. The two verses that I’m praying over myself are:
“A soft answer turns away wrath, 
but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
 – Proverbs 15:1
 
“Let every person be quick to hear, 
slow to speak, and slow to anger; 
for the anger of man does not produce
 the righteousness that God requires.” 
– James 1:19-20
If reacting in anger and withholding grace is something that you struggle with then I suggest getting into the word and letting the Holy Spirit show you a verse or two to memorize. Then repeat your verse throughout the days and weeks ahead and pray it over yourself daily. “For God is working in you giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him.” – Philippians 2:13 
 
Remember no one this side of heaven is perfect, but that is no excuse to show harshness and anger towards our spouses. Next time you find yourself irritated or angry towards your spouse just repeat your memory verse and remember that Christ has extended you grace. No they don’t deserve it, but neither do you. It won’t be easy, but with God it is possible!!

Homemade Laundry Soap – Round 2

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I just made a new batch of laundry soap. This time I used Fels-Naptha and washing soda because I couldn’t find Zote or a big container of baking soda. So far I like the Zote variety better because the Fels-Naptha scent gave me a headache and it’s a smaller bar so I had to buy two. PLUS the Zote is hot pink which is way prettier than the yellow. 🙂 We’ll see how it cleans. I really need to try and find soap flakes which would make this process much easier. Does anyone know where you can find them?
I made my first batch of laundry soap in March so it lasted me four months. That’s pretty good considering I only spent around $3 to make it. I do 3-4 loads of laundry per week and I’ve been using 1 tbsp for small loads and 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp for larger and/or dirtier loads. It seems to work pretty well. My clothes seem clean so I’m happy. Here’s my recipe:

Laundry Soap

2 parts soap (Fels-Naptha, Zote, or Ivory can be used), grated
1 part borax
1 part baking soda or washing soda

Mix and store in air tight container.
Use 1-2 tbsp per load.

Problems in the Garden

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I noticed yesterday that some of my tomatoes were finally turning red and I got so excited!! Until I took a good look at them and realized they were being eaten and they were were molding. All but one of the red ones were rotted. Grrr. I picked the halfway decent red one and I’m letting it ripen on my window sill. Anyway, I need advice on how to prevent this from happening!! Here’re pictures of my fruit (Sorry they’re blurry but my camera was not focusing right):

Okay experienced gardeners what’s my problem and how do I fix it? I need your help!!!

Also I’ve kinda been at a loss as to when to pick my corn. Everyone says when the silk dies and the kernels are milky. Well mine have been like that but they just didn’t seem ready to pick to me for some reason. But when I looked out the window today and a bunch of black birds were eating them I figured they were ready! I’m about to shuck them and see if I was right. Ha. I’m learning through all of this trial and error and I’ll be more knowledgeable next year. 

Garden Update

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Lots of exciting things are happening in the garden! It’s been about 2-3 weeks since I last updated and a lot has happened since then. I’ve had to deal with pests and we have produce on the vine! Here’s a look:
 Here’s our massive amount of tomato plants. I had a dream last night that they were all turning red! I guess you can say I’m ready for my home grown tomatoes.
 Our corn is pollinating:
 We have lots and lots of tomatoes on the vine. This one is beefsteak, but mostly we have Roma’s growing so far.
 Here are our bell peppers. Salsa here we come!
I know I say this a lot, but gardening and growing most of my plants from seed has been such an awesome and rewarding experience for me.

We’re getting close to harvest and canning season! Yay!
How is your garden growing?

Garden Update

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The garden is still growing like crazy! (Unfortunately so are the weeds.)  I staked a few of my tomato plants last week. Also, a lot of the tomatoes have blossoms on them! Yea baby!
 I ground some eggshells into powder and sprinkled it in this bed for a boost of calcium. Has anyone ever done this before?
 Our cabbage is getting huge:
 So is our corn:
 These are our potato plants. We only planted them about a month ago and they are as big as the corn! 
Well I guess that’s all for now. Hopefully soon I’ll have some baby produce to talk about! 🙂

Linked at the Homestead Barn Hop

Garden Tour

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My garden is looking so healthy and strong right now! It’s so exciting! I can’t believe how much my tomatoes have grown in the last two days. It’s crazy! Here’s a quick tour:
 Corn
 Cabbage
 Sweet Potatoes, yum!
 Baby Carrots.
I need to thin them, but I haven’t looked up how close they can be yet.
 Peas
 Potatoes. I can not believe how quickly these are growing! It’s crazy!
 Tomatoes
 I can’t believe I started these from seed just 9 weeks ago.
 Bell Pepper
 Cayenne Pepper
Gardening is so satisfying! I’m really enjoying it and learning so much.
That homegrown tomato is getting closer by the day…
Linked at
Raising Homemakers
and

Garden Update

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I haven’t had much to update in the past few weeks because of all the rain and flooding, but I think that’s finally over. We planted our seedlings and store bought plants yesterday.

Here’s our corn. The soil gets really hard in this box so I’m not sure how well everything is going to do. I loosened it up around all the plants.

Here’s our sweet potatoes and cabbage. I forgot until we planted them that sweet potatoes like sandy soil. OOPS! I guess we’ll see how they do in this thick, hard soil.

Here’s our tomatoes. This soil is super clumpy in this box. We added a few bags of potting soil so it wouldn’t be as hard as the other one. Hopefully, they do well here, but I’m a little skeptical.

What’s going on in your garden?


Linked at the Homestead Barn Hop

 

Homemade Laundry Soap

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Did you know you can make your own laundry soap for way cheaper than store-bought? This recipe works great and lasts for months!

I’ve been wanting to make my own laundry soap for almost a year now, but I had quite a few store-bought detergents to use up first. Well I finally ran out and got to make some today! This should last me a long time and it’s way cheaper than store-bought. Here’s the recipe that I used:

 

Homemade Laundry Soap

2 parts grated soap (Fels-Naptha, Zote, or Ivory)

1 part baking soda or washing soda

1 part borax

Mix and store in air tight container.

Use 1-2 tbsp per load.

 

 It was kinda messy and a lot of work to grate the soap. I might try to find soap flakes next time. I’ve finished one load of sheets and they turned out fine. The true test will be Mike’s work clothes. 🙂 Do you make your own detergent? Whats your experience been with it?

 

*Update: I used this recipe for 2+ years and it always seemed to work great! I’m using store-bought detergent now because I was getting random spots on my son’s clothes all of a sudden, but I don’t think it was from my homemade detergent because it continued after I switched to store-bought.

 

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Copycat KFC Coleslaw on gracefullittlehoneybee.com

Copycat KFC Coleslaw Recipe

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Who doesn't love KFC's coleslaw? This recipe is easy to put together and tastes just like the original!

Copycat KFC Coleslaw

  Who doesn’t love Kentucky Fried Chicken’s coleslaw?? This recipe is really similar and is great to take on picnics or to serve at your next cookout. Plus, you can put it together in less than five minutes. It tastes best after it’s been refrigerated for a few hours, but needs to be eaten within a couple days to maintain the best flavor.

I love to eat this coleslaw on hotdogs and pulled pork sandwiches. It’s also good over grilled chicken or pork chops. Of course you can serve it as a side dish as well. I hope you and your love ones enjoy the recipe!

What Should I Serve with KFC Coleslaw? Here are a few suggestions:

How To Make Copycat KFC Coleslaw:

Set Coleslaw mix aside.
Mix everything else in mixing bowl.
Add coleslaw and stir until coated.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

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Copycat KFC Coleslaw on gracefullittlehoneybee.com
Print Recipe

Copycat KFC Coleslaw Recipe

Mix miracle whip, sugar and vinegar with shredded cabbage for a creamy and delicious side dish.
Prep Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Servings: 12
Calories: 43kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 cups raw coleslaw mix carrot and cabbage, shredded
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 c miracle whip
  • 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar

Instructions

  • Set Coleslaw mix aside.
  • Mix everything else in mixing bowl.
  • Add coleslaw and stir until coated.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Easy Fleece Tube Scarf Tutorial

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  I made this scarf in less than an hour. The doubled fleece makes it really warm which is good because we are experiencing below zero temperatures this week. Also fleece is usually on sale this time of year because stores are making room for spring fabrics so buy it up! I thought I’d do a tutorial in case anyone else wanted to make one too. It’s a really easy scarf to do for a beginner.

 

   Start by cutting a 13″ X 60″ piece of fleece. (This makes a 6″X 60″ scarf. You can adjust the measurements to make the size that you prefer.)

 

  Then fold your fleece in half lengthwise with right sides together. (This means that the wrong sides will be facing out.) Fleece stays put pretty well, but you can pin it if you would like.

 

  Now decide how long you want your fringe to be and cut strips on both ends. As you can see in the picture below, I cut my fringe at the five inch mark.

 

  Your scarf should look like this.

 

 Now, starting just below the fringe sew down the open side of your scarf with a 1/4″ seam.

 

  Next, turn your scarf right side out like this and try to smooth it out as best as you can. (Do not iron fleece as it could melt.)

 

 Then top stitch along the edges of your scarf and just above the fringe. This keeps your scarf from rolling and makes a more finished looking piece.

 

  Lastly, take a top and bottom piece of fringe and tie a double knot. Do this until all fringe is knotted.

 All done! Now wasn’t that easy?

 

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Calm My Anxious Heart

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I recently finished reading Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow and it has got me thinking and praying a lot about contentment and accepting my portion in life. It has been especially helpful in reminding me to be grateful for what the Lord has provided for me and to stop comparing myself to others. Here are some quotes from the book that I enjoyed:

“Prescription for Contentment:
-Never allow yourself to complain about anything-not even the weather.
-Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
-Never compare your lot with another’s.
-Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
-Never dwell on tomorrow-remember that tomorrow is God’s, not ours.”
“Just as a cup of tea gets stronger when we give it time to steep, so we become more content when we spend time in God’s Word and allow it to steep into our lives, transforming us to be like Him.”
“God is the blessed controller of all things,
the king over all kings and the master of all masters.”
-1 Timothy 6:15
“Lord, you have assigned me my portion
and my cup; you have made my lot secure.”
-Psalm 16:5

Here is a quote from Elisabeth Elliot on Psalm 16:5:

“I know of no greater simplifier for all of life. Whatever happens is assigned. Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things that happen to us that do not belong to our lovingly assigned “portion.” (“This belongs to it, that does not”)? Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty? Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are canceled. Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter. A quiet heart is content with what God gives.”

“Contentment is accepting God’s sovereign control over all of life’s circumstances.”
“You will never really enjoy other people, you will never have stable emotions, you will never lead a life of godly contentment, you will never conquer jealousy and love others as you should until you thank God for making you the way He did.” -Reverend James Hufstetler
“They took away what should have been my eyes
(But I remembered Milton’s Paradise)
They took away what should have been my ears
(Beethoven came and wiped away my tears)
They took away what should have been my tongue
(But I had talked with God when I was young)
He would not let them take away my soul
Possessing that, I still possess the whole.”
-Helen Keller
“When does a woman become an adult? Perhaps it’s when she stops comparing her life to other women’s. When she stops waiting for “Mr. Right.” When she stops wishing she’d married someone else or that her children were at an easier stage. We grow up when we see our life and our role from God’s perspective; when we thank God for the role He assigned us and begin to see our cup as a gift instead of a cross; when each morning we ask, “God, how can I glorify You today in my given role?”
“If we want to be women of contentment, we must choose to accept our portion, our assigned roles from God. We must make the choice to dwell on the positive aspects of our role in life. If we don’t we’ll be discontent, always wanting something different from what we’ve been given.”
“This is the blessed life-not anxious to see far in front, nor eager to choose the path, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time. The Shepherd was always out in front of the sheep. He was down in front. Any attack upon them had to take him into account. Now God is down in front. He is in the tomorrows. It is tomorrow that fills men with dread. God is there already. All the tomorrows of our life have to pass Him before they can get to us.” -F.B. Meyer
I highly recommend this book for anyone who struggles with discontentment, anxiety, or worry. It has really given me a lot to think about and has challenged me in many ways.
Lord,
Help me to realize that you are in control and
that all circumstances are in your hands.
Help me to be grateful for all that you have given me.
Help me to lean on you and not worry about tomorrow.
Help me to know and to believe that you are
my provider and that you will take care of me.
Amen

 

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