The Urban Homemaker Blog

Category: Homemaking

  • Be In Health Conference

    Two weeks ago, my daughter Mary and I got to attend the For Their Life TM Workshop in Thomaston, Georgia.  The week involves nearly 40 hours of intensive teaching and training on what the Bible says about disease and much more.

    Did you know that 3 John 2 says:  “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”  Pastor Henry Wight, author of A More Excellent Way, says that even the AMA believes there are spiritual causes to up to 80% of diseases.  He believes most illness begins with a break down in relationship with 1.) yourself, 2.) God, 3.) Others.

    I also learned and had reinforced that the “talk” I hear constantly in my head can one of three voices.  1.)  Myself, 2.) God, 3.) The Enemy, Satan.

    One teacher explained that when we hear in our head, “I’m so dumb.”  “I’m so stupid.”, “I’ll never get it right.”, self-talk in the first person, it is often the enemy trying to get us believe that our thoughts are our own.   But I learned that anything that doesn’t line up with what God says about me, then I’m   listening to the voice of the enemy.  I’ve been “tricked” by the enemy into believing  lies about myself.

    I have found myself thinking many thoughts in the last week that I recognized as the lies of the enemy.  For example, when boarding the plane to fly home last Sunday, I heard a voice in my head saying, “I hate this.”  I felt tension rising in my muscles.  Suddenly I realized, there was no peace in that thought and the thought was most likely the enemy lying to me and trying to get me to react to an angry, bitter, evil spirit.  I quickly fell out of agreement with that subtle lie and peace returned to my mind.

    Yes, this is a very small example of how our thoughts can effect our health consciously or unconsciously.

    But how I handle mythoughts is directly related to my mental health and how I feel about myself and others.   According to 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”   It can be a challenge to recognize the source of every thought.

    Since attending Be in Health, I have had many new opportunities to recognize that many of my thoughts are not of God and I have been renounce them, and resisting them.  My health is at stake!  My grandmother died from Alzheimer’s, a disease I definitely do not want.  From the teaching at the seminar I began to see the mind-soul-spirit connection of thoughts my Grandmother may have had about herself that contributed to the disease.

    God has been so good to me to show me new truths, new truths to set me free from the bondage of sin.

    In Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God promises blessings to those who obey him and calls diseases a curse.  There is so much to learn about obeying God that I didn’t know.  But one thing I do know, when I obey God in the little things, especially my attitudes and with the words i use, life goes better for me and my family.

    During the ministry sessions I got a better handle on how the trauma of my husband’s death opened the door to my heart for all kinds of fears including fear of abandonment and rejection.  But God never abandons us, he is always gracious, he promises to never fail me nor forsake me.  Since it has been over a year since Duane passed on, I know deeper in my heart the truths of how much God loves me, that only he can heal my broken heart and that I can trust that he does have  good plan for me and my new life as a widow.

    I am so excited that God has led me to put the Urban Homemaker on vacation for a few weeks of remodeling and facelift so that I re-open with more resources  and information to encourage busy moms in the Spirit of Titus Two.

    If your family is struggling with a serious health issues, I would encourage you to consider if there are some spiritual dynamics in your generations that have been passed on to you that you can get rid of now.  Or email me at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com for more information.

    Here is more information for anyone interested in For My Life classes:

    Be in Health Announces

    For My Life – ONLINE

    Henry Wright teaches that often the mind needs to be renewed before lasting healing can take place. The scripturally based principles taught in For My Life™ Online facilitate and encourage each participant to renew their mind with biblical insights.

    The For My Life Online program has all of the basic teachings of the For My Life class held in Thomaston, GA, but in a condensed form. This program was designed to make For My Life available to everyone who could not make it to Thomaston yet, or those needing a refresher course.

    For My Life Online consists of 32 hours of teaching stretched over 14 days. Each day another class or series of classes are released for you to view in order, just like the Thomaston class. This entire class can be viewed by spending just 2 ½ hours a day during that 14 day timeline.

    The For My Life Online player is a Flash based player that you will be able to view once the first day of the class begins. When a specific class is available, you will be able to watch it as many times as you need to during the remaining days of that class timeline. Once the last day of the class ends, access to the player will be turned off. The player has the ability to start, stop, pause and rewind the video if you missed something.

    player thumb


    For My Life™ Online provides the opportunity to gather the kind of information that helps people apply the principles of God to their life in such a way that they often find healing of spirit, soul, and body.

    Classes are offered twice a month. Online Registration and fees are required for the program.

    Click Here to Register

    For My Life Online - Click to register

  • Hero Moms Incarnating Proverbs 31

    Ed Note:  Here is the recording of a recent phone interview with Kevin Swanson regarding the story of The Urban Homemaker.

    Hero Moms Incarnating the Proverbs 31 Vision

    The Urban Homemaker In a day of fragmented families and big-business oriented economies, one family’s vision took them on an amazing journey. The life of faith is not always pretty, but it is also not without its joys and triumphs! When Duane and Marilyn Moll took the trip all the way home in the early 1990s with home schooling and home businesses, they had no idea what would lie ahead of them. Marilyn Moll tells the inspiring story of Urban Homemaker on this edition of Generations.

    There are many different ways that Christian families are incarnating the biblical model for home life, integrated families, and Proverbs 31 home-managers. But in a world of egalitarianism, socialist-driven economies, family disintegration, and institutionalized, non-discipleship oriented education, it is a huge inspiration to see a few families embracing the biblical vision and trying out a few incarnations of that vision!

    listen now!
    http://generationswithvision.com/RadioShow.aspx?sid=1159

  • Before I was a Mom

    Ed Note:  This was sent to me by my sister with no copyright.  A reader has notified me this quote actually appeared in a book by Mary LaGrand Bouma, The Creative Homemaker, which came out in 1973. I believe Bouma was probably the original author — just thought you might want to know.

    Before I was a Mom,
    I never tripped over toys
    or forgot words to a lullaby.
    I didn ‘ t worry whether or not
    my plants were poisonous.
    I never thought about immunizations.


    Before I was a Mom,
    I had never been puked on.
    Pooped on.
    Chewed on.
    Peed on.
    I had complete control of my mind
    and my thoughts.
    I slept all night.

    Before I was a Mom,
    I never held down a screaming child
    so doctors could do tests.
    Or give shots.
    I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
    I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
    I never sat up late hours at night
    watching a baby sleep.

    Before I was a Mom,
    I never held a sleeping baby just because
    I didn ‘ t want to put her down.
    I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
    when I couldn ‘ t stop the hurt.
    I never knew that something so small
    could affect my life so much..
    I never knew that I could love someone so much.
    I never knew I would love being a Mom.

    Before I was a Mom,
    I didn ‘ t know the feeling of
    having my heart outside my body..
    I didn ‘ t know how special it could feel
    to feed a hungry baby.
    I didn ‘ t know that bond
    between a mother and her child.
    I didn ‘ t know that something so small
    could make me feel so important and happy.

    Before I was a Mom,
    I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
    every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
    I had never known the warmth,
    the joy,
    the love,
    the heartache,
    the wonderment
    or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
    I didn ‘ t know I was capable of feeling so much,
    before I was a Mom .

    Send this to someone who you think is an awesome Mom.

    May you always be overwhelmed by the Grace of God rather than by the cares of life

  • I am a ‘Kept’ Woman!

    There have been times when I thought I would lose my mind, but God kept me sane.  Isaiah 26:3 –

    There were times when I thought I could go on no longer But the LORD kept me moving.  (Gen 28:15)

    At times, I’ve wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong, but the Lord kept my mouth shut.  (Ps 13)

    Sometimes I think the money just isn’t enough, but God has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc,  (Matt 6:25-34

    When I thought I would fall, He kept me up.

    When I thought I was weak, He kept me strong!  (1 Pet 5:7, Matt 11: 28-30)

    Are you or do you know a ‘kept’ woman?

    If so, pass it on to her to let them know they are ‘Kept.’

    I am kept by the Love and Grace of God!  I am indeed  kept woman and praise God for it!

    Please share this with someone in need of encouragement today.

  • Father’s Day Picnic – Erickson Springs, CO

    Erickson Springs is a camping/picnicing area about 45 minute drive from here.  With the gorgeous Anthricite River rushing through, we go there often.  We decided to roast hot dogs, make Somemore’s and play Rummicube, all outdoor/family camping traditions.  The weather was picture perfect. The Ragged Mountains and Antricite provided a heaven-made backdrop.   I am finding the outdoors very healing and soothing to my soul in ways I never imagined.

    Thanks for your prayers, my first Father’s Day without Daune is filled with good memories.

     

  • The Homemaker’s Mentor

    I just found out two of my favorite and most talented authors, Martha Green and Rebekah Wilson, authors of The Treasury of Homekeeping Skills and The Hope Chest and Grandmother’s Hope Chest books respectively, have a vision to train woman in many useful homemaking skills that you probably weren’t taught by your mother growing up.

    Their vision for The Homemaker’s Mentor is to provide you with helpful, illustrated lessons designed to inspire and expand your homemaking skills. As each lesson is learned your homemaking skills increase and are refined and your enjoyment as a home keeper expands. Despite the hustle and bustle of life surrounding you, your home will become a welcome haven for all who enter.

    Here is a sample lesson with over 50 uses for old and mismatched socks.

    Current lessons include:

    How to Grow an Indoor Herb Garden,
    Beans, Beans, and MORE Beans,
    Sample Dreams! Homemade Pillowcases
    Detail Cleaning of the Master Bedroom

    I believe that learning new skills from older, like-minded women will bring you a deep and satisfying in enjoyment in your role as homemaker.  Check it out!

    Join the HomeMaker's Mentor
    If you are ready for an older woman to hold your hand and teach you skills you have always wanted to learn, The Homemaker’s Mentor is for you.

  • Compare Top Drinking Water Contaminants

    Last week I talked about the best way to address emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, in drinking water.

    Many people wrote to me asking me to clarify what the benefit of an R/O (Reverse Osmosis) Drinking Water System is, and how they can know which type of system is best for their family.

    Today, I want to clarify the pros and cons of Reverse Osmosis water purification technology.

    First of all, it is a HUGE misconception to think any R/O system will remove all known contaminants. R/O technology does not even remove chlorine nor most chemicals in water.

    R/O systems are best known for removing minerals and were developed for desalination of seawater aboard Naval vessels. R/O technology will also remove cysts and bacteria.

    Most R/O systems are combined with other technologies, that is, they include another filtering medium such as a solid carbon filter to remove the chemicals as well as chlorine, chlorine disinfection by-products, etc.

    A two-page brochure called, The Challenge compares all the major drinking water technologies and shows which contaminant groups each is able to remove. This flier also shows you where to get more information about addressing the water purification problems unique to your home.

    The cost of maintaining an R/O system is higher because you have to replace sediment filters, solid carbon filters and the R/O membrane on a regular basis to make sure it is working properly.

    Most homeowners on city water do not need an R/O system because they usually
    do not have bacteria or harmful minerals in their water that only R/O
    will address. In general, the only time an R/O system is needed is
    when the water is high in harmful minerals such as sodium or nitrates.

    R/O systems, because they remove all the minerals from the water, create an acidic water which, as it goes through the body, tends to make the body more acidic. Some health researchers believe this acidic condition may be a precursor to degenerative disease.

    Also, as this water goes through the body, it has been demonstrated on laboratory animals to pull minerals from the body.

    We could sell hundreds of Multi-Pure R/O systems but we don’t believe in over – selling or selling a product that is more expensive than is necessary or that is not needed.

    A solid carbon filter is more than sufficient for most drinking water issues and shows the most hope of addressing emerging contaminants, according to The Water Quality Association.

    The Multi-Pure Solid Carbon Drinking Water System is a superior choice at a better price, in my opinion, because it has been certified to remove more contaminants of health concern than any other solid carbon system on the market according to third party, not-for-profit testing done by NSF, Intl. (nsf.org)

    There is NO ONE BEST system for all circumstances. As a general rule, solid carbon technology is the best choice if you are on city water, however.

    What Are the Questions Your Should Ask When Buying a Drinking Water System?

    Choose your FREE GIFT!

    With every Multi-Pure Drinking Water System Purchase, we are offering a choice of one of a choice of two free gifts.

    Option 1:
    New! – H20 On the Go Bottles – Receive two of these attractive new insulated 17 oz stainless steel bottles to transport hot or cold liquids. A $39.00 value

    OR

    Option 2:
    Multi-Pure Shower Filter
    The Multi-Pure shower filter is an indispensable part of reducing exposure to chlorine in showers.
    A $49.95 value.

    Promotion ends – May 31, 2008

    All Multi-Pure Products SHIP FREE! This special promotion is also good in conjunction with Filtermania. (Pre-pay for 10 filters and you will receive the stainless steel

    Sincerely,

    Marilyn and Duane Moll

  • Hot Cross Buns

    Remember the children’s nursery rhyme that goes as follows?

    Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!
    One a penny two a penny – Hot cross buns
    If you have no daughters, give them to your sons
    One a penny two a penny – Hot cross buns

    Hot cross buns were sold in the street to the cry of “Hot cross buns!” around the period in English history dating back to the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

    A hot cross bun is a type of sweet spiced bun made with currants and leavened with yeast. It has a cross on the top which might be made in a variety of ways. Using confectioner’s frosting, is the most common way.

    According to one source, hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of Christ and the resurrection. Have fun with the children and enjoy the process of being together in the kitchen. Here’s my recipe for the buns:

    Hot Cross Buns

    2/3 cup dried currants
    3-1/2 to 4 cups whole wheat flour (or half bread flour and half whole wheat
    2 TB yeast
    1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
    3/4 cup milk
    1/2 cup cooking oil
    1/3 cup sugar or honey
    1 tsp salt
    3 eggs
    1 slightly beaten egg white
    Frosting (recipe follows)

    Cover currants with very hot water. Let stand about 10 minutes or up to one hour at room temperature. Drain well. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and cinnamon. Heat milk, oil, sugar or honey, and salt until warm (115 to 120�). Add to the dry mixture. Allow to sponge for about 15 minutes if time allows. Add eggs, one at a time. By hand or mixer, stir in currants and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead until the gluten is developed by mixer or on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-10 minutes.

    Shape into ball. Place in greased bowl. Turn once to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch down. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

    Divide into 18 pieces. Form smooth balls. Place on greased baking sheet 1-1/2 inches apart. Cover; let rise until double, 30 to 45 minutes. Cut shallow cross in each. Brush tops with egg white. Bake in preheated 375� oven 12 -15 minutes. Remove from baking sheet. Use confectioner’s Frosting to make a “cross” on the bun.

    Confectioner’s Frosting:

    2 TB milk
    1 cup sifted powdered sugar
    1/2 tsp. vanilla

    Combine these ingredients together and add milk or water as needed to get a good pouring consistency for the frosting. Place the frosting in a small zip-lock sandwich baggie, clip the corner and use the baggie to squeeze the frosting over the cooled buns in a cross shape. Small children will enjoy this process even if it gets a little messy!

    More Easter Themed Activities:

    1. To learn to dye Easter eggs with natural colors, CLICK HERE.

    2. Another fun Resurrection project is Resurrection Cookies.

    A Beginner’s Guide to Baking Bread ebook by Marilyn Moll offers step-by-step instructions for getting started with baking yeast breads.

    Click Here to purchase this instantly downloadable ebook for $9.95.

    Learn how to:

    * How to Select Ingredients
    * Selecting a Grain Mill
    * Selecting A Mixer
    * Step-by-Step Mixing Instructions
    * How to Develop the Gluten
    * Tips for the Best Bread
    * Lots of Bread and Roll Recipes
    * Troubleshooting Guide
    * The Two-Stage Process
    Item #6059 $9.95

    Click Here to purchase this ebook for $9.95.


  • We do Spring Cleaning Room by Room

    Fast, Easy, Economical Spring Cleaning
    Room by Room
    by Marilyn Moll and Sandy Tuin


    My daughter Mary has already asked if we can do Spring Cleaning during her break in April. What a blessing to have help, because I don’t love this job! We take it room by room using the time we have and completing each job step by step. Read through the instructions before you get started and outline a plan.

    Note: The only cleaning products needed are micro-fiber and water. No paper towel, or chemicals. You may enjoy using the safe cleaners made from non-toxic ingredients or natural enzymes like the Mattress Cleaner, and Odour Eliminator. The Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent is biodegradable, contains no fillers, and is highly concentrated. As little as ½ tsp per load in a front loader is all it takes.

    Living Room and Dining Room – Start at the room that gets the most use and public exposure. Do all the dusting in both rooms, then windows etc for that economy of scale efficiency.

    Dust and De-clutter– Use the Norwex Microfiber mitt or Enivro cloth dry, to thoroughly dust the entire room. Clear the clutter as you go. Use the 3 box system- give away, throw away, and put-away. Use the Norwex mop system to wipe down walls and remove cobwebs.

    Curtains and Drapes – Curtains can be machine washed with Norwex Ultra Power Plus Detergent. It only takes ½ tsp in a HE machine. Line dry if possible. Dry Clean only drapes can be tumbled in a cool dryer to remove dust. Re-hang.

    Windows – Next wipe down all the windows with a damp Enviro Cloth and then polish with
    the Window Cloth. You won’t believe how quick and easy the window polishing goes with a dry micro-fiber window cloth.

    Upholstery – Spot clean using an Enviro cloth and water. Vacuum cushions, backs, under cushions and apply Mattress Cleaner to cushions and cushion backs.

    Vacuum the room thoroughly including under furniture around the edges.

    Odour Eliminator – Dilute in water 7 parts water to one part Odor Eliminator and spray the room to eliminate off odors and overall freshen up the room. If it is warm enough – open the windows!

    Re-Arrange furniture for a seasonal change if desired. VOILA – you are done!

    Bedrooms – Repeat the same steps above: Dust and De-clutter, Curtains and Drapes, and Windows.

    Beds – Wash mattress pad, blankets, and other bedding in the Ultra Power Plus Detergent. Hang out to dry if possible. Turn mattress. Spray with Mattress Cleaner. Make up bed.

    Vacuum the room thoroughly including under furniture and bed around the edges of the room.

    Kitchen and Pantry – This is probably a big job if it hasn’t been done lately. So allow plenty of time – or take it a few cabinets at a time or use 15-30 minute time segments daily until the job is done. Getting started is the hardest part.

    Cabinets – Clear everything out of the cabinets. Purge unused, and out-of date items. Wipe down the inside and outside cabinet surfaces with a damp Enviro Cloth. Apply lemon oil to wood cabinets if desired.

    Refrigerator – Clear everything out of the refrigerator or do it shelf by shelf, drawer by drawer. Purge unused, moldy, and out of date foods. Wipe shelves and exterior of refrigerator with a wet Enviro Cloth. Polish with dry window cloth. Plastic drawers should be removed, washed and dried. Re-assemble everything neatly and you will be amazed at how much more room you now have!

    Floors – Use the Norwex mop system to get the floor dry mopped, and then wet mop. It only takes water.

    Oven – If you do not have a self-cleaner, water and spirinettes with lots of elbow grease will do the job.

    Cook Top – Smooth top and conventional electric ranges can be maintained and polished with an Enviro Cloth and window cloth. If you have tough burned on food use the cleaning paste with a damp Enviro or the Micro-pad.

    Bathrooms – Surprisingly, you can get most of the bathroom cleaned up very well using an Enviro Cloth and water. Since the Enviro clothes are anti-bacterial no disinfectants are needed.

    Toilet– Sanira Toilet System – Both cleaning solution and brush are produced from environmentally friendly raw materials. The cleaning solution is vegetable based with coconut oil and a naturally- occurring sugar surfactant. The b rush does not contain any metal parts. Using only ¾ tsp a week, this solution will last about a year. Compare to 2 Tbsp of traditional cleaner and save.

    Throw Rugs – Wash with Ultra Detergent and hang out to dry. Replace.

    Mirrors – Wipe with a damp Enviro and polish with dry Window Cloth for a streak free shine in seconds.

    Floors – Use Norwex Mop System to dry and wet mop.

    Shower & Tubs – Maintained weekly with an Enviro cloth and water you won’t have much extra work. Wash out shower curtain liners and shower curtain with Ultra Detergent and rehang after the shower is cleaned up.

    Shower Doors can be descaled the safe non-toxic way with De-Scaler a wonderful gel that removes lime scale easily. The netted dish cloth can also be used to remove soap scum. Wipe down the shower after each use with a dry microfiber dust mitt to eliminate lime scale and scums.

    Halls and Closets – Apply the above products and principles of de-cluttering, wiping down, mopping and/or vacuuming to closets and hall ways. Wash and dry throw rugs and replace.

  • Top Frugal Tips for Busy Homemakers

    Contest winners are identified below along with over 30 excellent comments from moms like you!

    Here is my top frugal post from contest winner Jill Ferris:

    Dear Marilyn,

    Many years ago when I was worrying about how to eat healthily on a very very limited budget I met ayoung mother who was raised in a poor family (12 children) who told me what they ate growing up.

    Basically, they ate cooked dried beans, cornbread and some sort of cooked greens (like turnip greens) for at least two meals a day all year long. She said they got ice cream once a year for Christmas or Fourth of July. That was it.

    When she married and moved across the country she went to a doctor and dentist for the first time in her life and was told that she was the healthiest person they had ever seen. The dentist had never seen teeth as strong as hers!!

    I thought about her parents and wondered if they worried all those years about not really “providing” for their family and wondered if they realized what wonderful health their children had because of growing up without refined foods!

    Meeting her was reassuring to me. I realized that good nutrition can be very simple and very plain. It can be very very inexpensive. It, of course, must be balanced (the beans and the corn bread compliment each other and the greens are a wonderful food if not overcooked).

    I realized that we could get very, very poor and still afford GOOD nutritious food!

    So that’s my money saving tip! Relax, trust in God to provide what you need, ask Him to teach you simple ways to make nutritious foods (sprouting seeds is one of those ways; they are very cheap but highly nutritious!) and have the confidence to know that you are providing the BEST for your family!

    I wrote a few weeks ago:
    Let’s all share our tips and wisdom with each other so we can learn together to be better wives, mothers, and homemaker’s! This contest will end March 18, 2008.

    Here are a few tips to get your started!

    You can save a lot of money buy making your own easy to make cream soups with four ingredients instead of many unpronounceable ingredients.

    Cream Soup Alternatives

    For one can of cream of “whatever soup” use the following simple, four ingredient recipe:

    Basic Cream Soup
    3 T Butter
    3 T Flour
    1/4 tsp salt
    1 cup chicken stock, water or milk

    Instructions:

    Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Blend flour and salt into saucepan while cooking and stirring until bubbly. using a wire whisk to prevent lumps, stir in liquid ingredient choice slowly. Medium thick sauce is comparable to undiluted condensed soups and makes approximately the same amount as a 10 oz can.

    Variations:
    Cheese Sauce: Add ½ C grated sharp cheese and ¼ tsp mustard

    Tomato Sauce: Use tomato juice as liquid and add a dash each of garlic powder or garlic salt, onion powder or onion salt, basil and oregano.

    Mushroom Sauce: Saute ¼ C finely chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion in the butter before adding the flour.

    Celery Sauce: Saute ½ Cup finely chopped celery and 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion in butter before adding flour

    Chicken Sauce: Use chicken broth or bouillon as half the liquid. Add ¼ tsp poultry seasoning or sage, and diced cooked chicken if available.

    CONTEST WINNERS

    ED NOTE: What a challenge to pick five contest winners from all these great posts! Please read all the comments, but my prize winners of the two ebooks are:

    Jody Courtney, Sharon Clark, Christine Jones, Jill Farris, Carly from AL

    They are each winners of Fast and Healthy Menus for Busy Moms along with my ebook A Beginner’s Guide to Baking Bread. This is a $19.93 retail value! Congratulations to the winners. Your ideas have blessed me immensely.