Leader Enterprise - Feb. 15, 2012

Anyone who has spent time around me will tell you I love a funny story. I especially love telling Reader's Digest funnies because they are true. I made a cross-stitch years ago with this on it: 'Proverbs 17:22 - A merry heart doeth good like a medicine'. So when I read this story in the Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul book,I knew I had to share it with my readers. I trust it helps your heart to be merry today.


It's entitled "Sleeping Through the Sermon" by William Weber:"  I was the pastor of a small church in a rural community. Wilbur and his wife, Leah, attended every Sunday morning. Wilbur was a farmer, and whenever he came into the house from the field and sat down, he would fall asleep. It was such a habit that when he came into church and sat in the pew he would also soon fall asleep. I discovered that some of the members of the church were taking bets to see how long I could keep Wilbur awake on Sunday mornings.

Wilbur's wife was embarrassed by his behavior, especially when he began to snore. She tried everything to keep her sleepy spouse awake. She complained to him that she was getting calluses on her elbow from poking him in the ribs in a futile attempt to keep him alert. One day while shopping in the grocery store, she saw a small bottle of Limburger cheese. Leah bought it and dropped it in her purse.

The next Sunday morning I had just started the sermon when Wilbur began to nod. When I finished the first point in my three-point sermon,  I could see that I was losing him. As I started the third point, Wilbur began to snore. Quietly, Leah opened her purse, took out the bottle of Limburger cheese and held it under her husband's nose. It worked. Wilbur sat straight up,and in a voice that could be heard all over the church,said, "Leah, will you please keep your feet on your own side of the bed".

I've been spending time at several blogs who are sharing some amazing recipes for DIY (Do It Yourself) recipes for products at home. I'm impressed with how nicely they work. They're also frugal and environmentally friendly. For more ideas,just Google 'homemade cleaners'. The internet is full of ideas.

Don't have any non-stick cooking spray on hand when you need some? Or is there just not money in the budget to buy it? You can make your own non-stick cooking spray at home. You need a clean plastic spray bottle, preferably one with a mist setting as well as spray. Then fill partially with regular cooking oil or olive oil, if you prefer. Simply use the spray bottle whenever you need to use non-stick cooking spray in a recipe. WA-LA!



HOMEMADE DISHWASHER SOAP

1 c. Borax

1 c. washing soda

1/2 c. kosher or table salt

1/2 c. citric acid (double this if you have hard water--citric acid can be found in canning aisle or look for products in dishwasher-soap aisle). Mix everything together and store in a plastic container. Use 1 Tbsp per load. This recipe will clump. To reduce clumping, add a few tablespoons of rice in a cheese cloth and tie it up. The rice will pull out the moisture and keep the detergent from clumping.

HOMEMADE RINSE AID FOR DISHWASHERS

In a small squirt bottle, simply substitute white vinegar-add food coloring so you know when it's nearly gone.Works great!

If you buy the blue rinse aid stuff at the store look at spending $3.75 or more per 30 loads. If you use white vinegar, you’ll be spending about $0.06 per 30 loads. Hello!


HOMEMADE SHAVING CREAM

1 c. conditioner

1 c. shampoo

5 Tb. baby oil

5 Tb. liquid hand cream

Use a large bottle or some other large storage container to store the shave cream. Pour in conditioner first, then shampoo.

Add baby oil; then hand cream. Secure the container and shake. Let mixture sit for about an hour. This should last atleast a month and costs less than $1.00 to make. It's great for shaving your legs.

HOMEMADE FOAMING HAND SOAP

a foaming soap dispenser

water

liquid soap of your choice

a squirt of vegetable glycerine (for extra moisturizing) (optional)

a few drops of a favorite essential oil (optional-citrus flavors are wonderful!)

Fill empty foaming soap dispenser with water, approximately 4/5 full.

Fill remaining space with a liquid soap of your choice (and glycerine and essential oils, if using) being careful not to get too close to the top.

Shake gently to mix and use. Note: you definitely do not want to add the soap first. If you do, the soap will foam up as you are adding the water to fill the container and you will end up with a foaming, half-filled container.

This next concotion is awesome. I discovered it at Grandma Loy's Kitchen blog. I made it twice over the holidays, using half sugar and half Splenda. It worked great. I can't say enough good about it. Some of the dry milk will settle on the top, but it's fine. Just stir before using; it cooks out.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

4 c. sugar

1 can evaporated milk

1 c. non-fat dry milk

6 T. butter or margarine sliced

Put sugar in a food processor and blend until super fine. Repeat the process with the dry milk. If you do not have a large food processor, place sugar 1 cup at a time, in a blender or mini food processor and blend until super fine. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, dry milk, and butter in a large saucepan. Mix very well. Heat over medium,  watching carefully and stirring often, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and divide evenly into thirds, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cup each. (Using Splenda produces less, so just divide into 1/3's, but each replaces a can) Refrigerate overnight before using to allow mixture to thicken up. This keep 2 weeks in the refrigerator and can be frozen up to 6 months. It may be a little grainy after thawing, but it smooths out when mixed with other ingredients. Makes the equivalent of 3 cans of purchased sweetened condensed milk. This may be made fat-free by using skim evaporated milk and omitting the butter or margarine.