Monday Message

Put your feet up, take a break from stress and make this easy chocolate cake. Check out the recipe HERE.

"Brethren, I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment... I do not predict any impending disaster ... yet prudence should govern our lives ... We can begin with a one week food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs. ... I fear that so many feel that a long-term supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.  Begin in a small way... gradually build toward a reasonable objective." Gorden B. Hinkley, Priesthood Session, October 2002.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2008/01/happily-living-within-our-means?lang=eng - live happily within our means

Money doesn’t bring happiness… then what does???? Something for you to ponder.

You take what you have been given in this life and make it wonderful and that means if you don’t have what you need, find ways to cut. You would be amazed at what you can do without.

If you don’t make much money it does not make you less of a person because others make more. No siree, you are a wonderful son or daughter of our Heavenly Father.

So you should not feel less. Take what you have and learn what you need to do to stretch what you have.

I know that some times in our life will be harder than others, prepare for them.

Everyone has trials and not all are visibly noticeable but the struggle is no less of a struggle. We should think of our ancestors… things were hard they pressed on, making life better. We can do this too!

If grocery prices go up we can learn what we can to stretch that budget by learning skills. This goes for all areas, we can learn so many things.

Try to make things better. You could choose to be sad, mad and negative which only hurts you more or you can work within your means and be happy.

Being content with what you have is a very wonderful thing. If you live within your means you will have peace, if you choose not to you will probably have stress untold. Is anything worth all that stress? NO! Time to learn wants and needs - make a list.

You have resources around you, take advantage of them... like thrift stores and yard sales. Yes, it is work and gas, that is why it is great to have a friend to go with. Take turns and that can be twice as fun for half the expense. I will also add make a list of what you need to look for and look it over before you get out, share it with your friend. Two pairs of eyes are better sometimes. Have a set amount you are willing to spend. I always looked first for my list items, followed by what things at the sale would be useful for us like a kerosene lamp, flashlights, fabric, patterns, that sort of thing. Then to what I would want which often is also useful things category for me, they overlap... like dehydrator, apple peeler, vacuum sealer. Yes these were all yard sale items.  

So when the season is cold and no yard sales then if you are in need try Freecycle and lastly a thrift store. This will save you the difference between new and used that can then go towards another bill. Let's face it, when you buy a new pair of jeans and go home after the first wearing, they are used anyway.

Others may judge us but that really is their problem, unless they live your life they don’t have the whole picture. This is why we are not to judge others.

http://www.bakeyourday.net/homemade-egg-noodles/  you can use water and flour egg and regular salt, they are all good. The main thing is easy and cheap and taste better than store bought.

http://www.thetipgarden.com/2013/04/master-mix-chocolate-or-vanilla-pudding.html - yum

I threw these in to say cooking from scratch is so much cheaper.

Lots of people eat out so many times a week. That many dollars could be saved by preparing ahead. If you do not have time, find some…you will thank me later.

We have always had to make do. So what I can tell you that the blessing of making do with what you have is a skill that you learn and hone over the years. If we do what is right we are blessed, it does not mean it will always be easy. Life is hard but make the best of it.

When we had hard times we still had chocolate cake because I always kept the ingredients for it on hand...…http://www.beckysbacktobasics.com/get_full_recipe.php?File=1270689755&search.x=16&search.y=18

So make my cake, put your feet up and rest from the stress. This cake is great with a white frosting... two cups powder sugar, two tbsp butter softened, tsp almond flavoring, and hot water to make it desired spread.