Monday Message

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to 'prepare every needful thing' (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others." (All is Safely Gathered In pamphlet)

I feel like harder times are coming. As I was thinking about this, our ancestors always hoped for a better year. Sometimes it was better and sometimes it wasn't. How do you think they managed on those harder years?  They made it through with skills for sure. They made things last longer and stretched what they had. When the snow comes, the first measurable snow we get, I crack out The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  This is a very good insight into how they managed.

We need to continue stocking up our pantries and building those skills.  

I know in hard times you can make do and also come up with ways to make it through.

I am doing the Arne and Carlos Christmas stocking knit-along again this year...

So far this is working well. I used, as always, what I had on hand. We get only six rows of the chart a day - this is free while the knit-along is going, then they put the pattern up for sale. So it is a free, fun thing to do and is helping me to develop my colorwork skills in knitting at the same time.

Last year, I did this too and here is what that stocking looked like in the end.

So building your skills does not have to be grueling, make it fun.

Learning to bake bread can be a tasty way to learn to perfect this skill.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html - this has a lot of breadmaking info to get you started on making bread.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/06/monday-message.html - yummy things here as well.

I had watched a video of a knitting recap and saw some price tags on yarn hmmmm... incredible, thirty dollars on up for just one skein of yarn. So a skill of mine is learning to make my own yarn. That one year for my birthday, a gift I gave myself was to spend the day dying fleece to spin.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2022/01/monday-message_17.html - it was a fun birthday may have to do it again.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/05/monday-message_20.html

This week, I moved the rug loom to the other end of living room. That might be the last time she gets moved. I tugged, I pulled, I pushed and ten minutes later I have only moved an inch. So it takes more work with her.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/12/monday-message_9.html

So while some of these pics show skills you can build...

Try to find the ones that you would like to build and most importantly have joy and don't postpone joy.

We need joy more than ever and remember to do kind things for others.

Missy says learning new things can be more fun and tastier than you think!

Tippy says find joy in all you do.