Monday, 30 April 2018

It is the last day of April...  I have been doing my prep for May... budget, goal pages, planning, and thinking about what to focus on.  I have too many directions to move in, and need to make one path to do first... well, that is what I keep trying to do, but I get "distracted" or need to do something else.  I am trying to get better at that... which is why I am working on some crafting pages for my goal notebook.  :-)

What to do first...

I cut out some future homemade stamp circles today.  I tried out some design ideas in pen and paper to decide how I want them to look.  I decided I need more of a destination to make those kinds of decisions right now... what do I want to make with mini-stamps???

I have some jewelry I need to finish.  This will be done soon... some are gifts that have been in process too long!

I want to try some candy/caramel recipes for selling options.

I have my paints on my desk, and found the papers I want to start with.  I am thinking that these ideas will ship more easily than anything else... maybe.  I need to spend some time experimenting with colors and topics... to draw, to paint, to ???    I hope I can create something decent, nice, great! as time goes by.

I discovered some old eBay details today... and I have a pile of things to photograph and list... I just haven't found a solution to my shipping problems yet.  I live in a complicated situation these days.  I hope that GOD will help me figure out a best way to deal with this.  If my printing issues go away, that will make the shipping problems go away.

My ideas for different types of clays are in need of dedicated time.  I really am getting excited about some of them.  I need to deal with the process, storage, equipment, mess...  it's always something... I think I can tackle the various creative destinations I want to go if I find a way to do them one at a time.

That is what I am trying to figure out these days.  Today I was clearing spaces for that goal.  :-)

I have a new (used) mini fridge now... my son and his wife brought it back from California... from my mother's belongings.  She downsized recently.  It is much taller than the ones I have seen in the stores here... and should work out great if the mechanics of the appliance are OK.  I'm going to let it run for a week or so before I trust it enough to live with it permanently...  I'm holding the older, bigger one as a back-up in case this isn't a good used deal.  :-)   Food is everything.  Fresh produce is expensive.  Refrigerators matter.

I voted today... here in Oregon voting is a mail-in process.  I really think they need to limit elections and save money... all over the country.  I discovered they cost millions and millions of dollars to hold, even if you mail ballots.  We don't need excess elections.  We need to save money.  I decided the national elections are every two years because of the Senate races, so that seems like the only option.  I think we can save more money by not having divisive primary elections.  Let's just list all the candidates and have a run-off if there is a too-close race.  If we can't do that, I also think we need just one primary option, with all the candidates listed and everyone eligible to vote for whoever they want... end this party separation... let the vote be about the person who is best for the job, no matter what party you are.

Ideally, that would be great... but, we know that people will still vote along party lines.  The big difference is that they have the citizen option to vote for anyone they want to in any particular election.  This is why we don't really need a primary.  Let everyone be available for the big day... lots of choices!  If we have to have a run-off election, it is still better than what we have now.

You see how I think...

Yardwork keeps calling to me but I never seem to answer it.  :-)  I know it is there, needs to be done, and it is MY task... so... I hope the sun won't beat too hot or the rain be too wet and cold... then I will get out there...  really,  I am sure I will.  haha

Life is really ordinary, isn't it...   We think everyone else has such a better life than we do... mostly because we really don't know what their lives are like.  Ordinary is nice.

You know I am praying for the big bucks to do Working Together... well, I always wanted a big secret check so I could have the cash but not have everyone know about it.  I don't think that will work totally, but maybe for a little while... I guess it depends on how GOD brings the money.  A lottery win... that would be public.  I haven't figured out too many other options, but I still pray....

That's my life... always praying for blessings and struggling without them...  :-)
One of the funniest cards I ever got was a sign of my life... the message was that when my ship came in, I would probably be at the airport.   :-)   These days, I have been thinking of the verse/thought about how GOD moves in our world, in our lives...

The Lord moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform...

We don't always understand it, we may not even see the way things connect, but GOD achieves His goals in the most amazing ways at times.  I try to watch what happens and figure out where He is going... just in case it involves me.  :-)

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May your days be good, filled with faith, and meaningful.
May our country find its way back to holiness.
May the Body of Christ unite.
May our governments remember their GOD.
May GOD provide for all the things we need.
May we become One Body.
Amen.

Thursday, 26 April 2018

Been working on my GOAL pages with the new (used) computer and Open Office as the creating system... lots to learn about how different it is from the version of Microsoft Office I was working with.

I didn't want to replicate the pages I already made, so I am trying to find a new format.

I decided to do a weekly page with all my repeating activities... to keep track of everything.  I have a page to plan out some of my crafting projects.  I made new calendars for planning... one with squares, one with lines to write on.  I have a new monthly budget and a new letter list...no, I haven't done the letter list yet as I have some copies of my other form.  I am working on a new budget form, which is going to be tested as I make entries...  that means there may be more revisions.  I am trying to decide how to follow/record my social media activities, figure out costs, etc.

I sent off two more of my monthly letters today, only a few more left.  It can be an expensive challenge to keep this effort up... especially since no one seems to acknowledge any of my letters... or respond.  This makes me suspicious, but I am not sure how to deal with it in my current situation.  Ordinary people are at the mercy of those with greater knowledge and money.

I saw the end of NBR today and it was the last part of a segment on teen hackers that got caught... and they were attached to the Russia story... One said he was 15 years old when he hacked into the Russian network and bought the information they stole from American victims.  Our nation is in jeopardy when teens, who do not really understand the implications of their actions, can hack into computer systems and networks that may cause real harm.  Kids are so easily manipulated, and harmed... they have no way to protect themselves from some, and become the minions of others.

A teen in rebellion is a force to reckon with... which is why some end up in prison, etc.  I had no way to control my sons when they went beyond my borders into drug land and more.  I suppose this is another consequence of single-parenthood.

I haven't quite gotten to yardwork today... at least not yet.  I'm not sure I can still conquer my pile of clippings tonight.  Mornings are going to have to be my commitment... before it gets hot.

I started a file to try to get my book going... my update for What If There Is NO Rapture? I am not sure what to write, so I am making notes... trying to create an order to my thoughts for chapters and details.  This should be fun.

I also want to create a give-away PDF, and I was thinking I need a new PDF for membership and other purchasing options for Working Together programs.  So, I'm thinking about what to create for them...

It would be nice to be able to have two accounts on this computer, one with Microsoft, one with Open Office, but I haven't been able to figure out how to do that... Windows 10 wants me to make everything link to their email accounts... I just wanted a separate account on my computer, like a guest account.  This is such a pain... and why I figure I have to get separate computers for everything... I haven't even gotten to an Apple model yet.  :-(

I'm getting into my "hate the evil in the world" space, so I better let you go for now...

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD help our world to find a way through the End Time changes that are already upon us and will get worse.
May GOD provide for His people.
May GOD help us to love, and share, and grow, and become better than we are today.
May our loved ones be saved and meet us in Heaven.
May we all create resources for our local communities and global outreaches... preparing for when our resources may not be as plentiful as they seem now.
May we not be filled with fear, but wise in our efforts.
May our possessions find the right value in our lives.
May we create a place of refuge for the future...
Amen.

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Hello to all... what a beautiful day!  
Lots of sunshine and a warm wind.
I love to look at it from inside the cool house...  :-)  

Well, I love the sun, but it doesn't love me... it makes me ill if I get too much of it... I think I was close to heatstroke once, when I was young, so I try not to push the envelope on dying.  I went out to do some yardwork this morning... now that I have it started, it will be more motivating to get it done.  There ate so many berry vines and ivy patches where I live.  I have one space I am trying to clear out.

My son got a new (used) rototiller so I am wondering what parts of the yard will get a visit.  I hate to think of doing all this manual labor and then a machine comes in and destroys it!  

There's some kind of plum tree in the section I am working on.  I was able to eat a few of them, and then made some kind of sauce out of them.  I am finishing it up this month.  I only was able to get two canning jars... the large jam jars... of plum sauce.  I think I will make it into plum jelly if I can this year.

I have plans for the blackberries, too... I wonder how many we will get this year.

I figured out one time that it would take about ten years to really get some good fruit from a new tree... and that is planting one that has been growing in a nursery.  I am not sure how long it takes to grow a fruit tree from seed.  My son planted a fig, a mixed cherry tree with five different grafts on it, and I think he may have planted an olive tree... some other kind of food tree, I'm not sure right now what it is. He has also been growing a coffee bush, but it looks dead today... I saw one coffee berry on it last summer, so it is possible!  And the Meyer Lemon is popular in these parts... he has one of those.

They like blueberries, so there are several of those bushes.  Herbs, too.

Growing your own food is really great.  Someday I hope to see my own food harvests.  You know it's healthy, you know where it came from, you know how it was grown, and fresh is so much tastier than store-bought... which is why Farmer's Markets are the next best thing.   :-)

I hope you will be able to grow a lot of your own food.

What else?  I'm not sure...  I just started checking my online stuff... I have an Amazon selling video to watch...the last of the four in their series.  I have some other work to do online, too.

I cut some of the lilacs in the yard and brought them in the house to see how they would do... how strong the scent would be.  Not many, just a small vase.  I haven't seen any roses yet... it is pretty early for them, I think.  The neighbor raises LOTS of roses, so I need to check his yard!  :-)  I did discover some pretty white flowers.  I wonder if my son and his wife planted them... I don't remember seeing them last spring... they are pretty.

I guess I better get busy... doing something useful...  maybe I need a nap...  :-)

Until next time,

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

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May GOD be good to those who love Him.

May our hearts be good, our words kind, our thoughts pure, our habits godly, our nights safe.

May the power of our Enemy and his minions be thwarted at every turn.

May our prayers be filled with faith, and be answered quickly.

May GOD help our country.

Amen.

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

I happened on the Food Network today... for the latter part of Chopped Junior, then stayed for a Chopped Redemption program.  I have been checking on the kids that cook on these shows to see what they do... it is really a strange thing to see a young person so into chef-related activities.  I think I was enjoying the lazy days of childhood in my life at their ages.  Some seem to be so focused on being a chef already.  I am amazed.

Today there was a young boy who was recovering from leukemia and treatments.  He had gained a lot of weight in the process.  I didn't see the beginning of the program so I don't know what details I missed.  The kids are so serious about the competition, and the results of a loss.  I suppose there is a link to the whole child-star issues... beauty pageants, child actors, etc.  I don't really know.

Today, I watched  how they took their secret ingredients and made things... food I wouldn't even know about.  The same thing happens for the adults, which are often seasoned chefs already, but looking for an award... and cash.  The kids get $10K if they win, the adults got more (I think... but not sure.), and one commercial said the champion cook-off is worth $50K if you win.  I might try for something to get that kind of money, but I don't think I have any one skill that I could use to compete with.  (I have thought about this in the past, and wondered what I could do if I was competitive.)

I think I am more... I really don't know what I am more of...  I better think about that and see if I can get funding for something with skills I don't know I have.

I have always wanted to just ignore all the flack and start the changes I felt needed... maybe that is the way I look for answers that will work.  Not being competitive changes things...   I loved that part of my life where competitive and cooperative were being discussed... finding solutions cooperatively was heralded at the time as being more productive.  I just want to win the big lottery prize and get it done myself.  What does that mean in this world... I guess it means I'm a "loser."   :-)

I noticed today that the underdog theme is big on TV competitions.  The worse your story, the better the TV likes you...  the boy battling leukemia won... so did the previously homeless man.  When I was younger I tried out for one or more of the game shows.  Some were based on skill tests, others were just audience members of the day being chosen to play the game.  People who bring drama with them are always picked... they help fill the attention spans of people watching... that was my evaluation.  Later, somewhere, I discovered that there was a "formula" for the contestants being chosen... large groups attending usually had ONE person picked (at least), military members were chosen, the wildest and most excited got picked (for drama value), and I can't remember what else was on the list.  It changed my view of the game process.


We are all the product of our life experience... the things that happened to me left a perspective in my mind that would never go away... and would never be there otherwise, if I hadn't had that experience.  The young man who battled leukemia had to stay at home a lot, or in the hospital maybe, but he said that watching Chopped Junior helped him get through his medical ordeals... and pointed his life in a food/restaurant direction.  Poverty propelled me into the need to see changes... somehow, somewhere... and led to creating Working Together.  We are all motivated by our lives... good and bad.

I guess my thoughts are filled with questions and realizations today.  I don't know how to apply all these little pieces of reality to my life right now.  I am trying to work it out.  This "journaling" I am doing is letting you into the process.

I will have to go do some more thinking right now.  Life is at a juncture for me, and I am not sure if I have the ability to choose the direction it is taking.  I want to.  Or, if LIFE takes me on it's own idea of an adventure, I need to be ready for that, too.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us
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May GOD help us to see our destiny, and show us how to deal with our own paths.  Amen.

Monday, 23 April 2018

I think it is making all the difference to have a regular computer... It looks like I will be able to insert photos as I write... not this post, but soon.

The weekend... it was a bit difficult in some ways.  I think I wrote about it at Facebook...

My two new (used) DVDs of Food Documentaries arrived in the mail on Saturday, so I started to watch Food Inc. and then went to do something else.  I just couldn't finish watching it... on Sunday or today, but I do have to.  I need to make sure it works right.

I had a hard time listening to the mother who lost her young child to tainted beef... it just makes me cry, and I can't deal with it.  It the process of sharing her efforts to get our food laws changed, they share her story.  Mostly, I remember her saying they had been working on that issue for over six years and still no changes were made.

After watching many of these films, it seems pointless to even fight Washington (DC) about issues that seem so logical to normal people.  Why are the money issues so important to people in our government... is it only lobbyists?  is it the tax income big companies provide to operate the government?  is it people just wanting to keep their own jobs in government offices?  is it election payback?  There has to be more than one simple answer.

It isn't just the food issues in government that are like this.  I remember trying to find solutions in the Welfare stream of government bureaucracy.  I shared it before, that is when I learned what "global angst" is... which means there is no one place to go to solve a problem... like, no one is in charge enough to fix it.  It is angst (anger...conflict...irritation...etc...) that you cannot point in one direction, it goes everywhere... all over... is without form... cannot be touched... cannot be fixed.  That is what I discovered.

It changes the way you look at a problem, and solutions.

Back to my DVDs... the other one I received was GMO OMG.  When I saw the photos on the cover, I realized I had seen this film before... probably on Netflix.  I still need to watch it again to see if the DVD is good.

I have been making new forms on this new computer because I can't access the other ones I have been using on the old computer.  It is also an opportunity to change my focus from daily spending to budget groups.  So, that is taking a bunch of time. I am learning Open Office in the process, and deciding if I want to continue with it.  I have no idea how it works with other parts of the internet or general use of PDFs and things I might create.

Why does it matter?  Because I need to get better at only spending what is allocated for each budget group.  My new format will help me do that, but I have to get the entry process figured out.  I have developed my budget categories over time, and decided on these because they covered everything in the space I had to work with ::

10%  Tithe

10%  Savings

30%  Shelter

20%  Food

10%  Household

05%  Personal

10%  Crafts

05%  Other

(Note::  I added my general percentages later, but these are the goal, not the reality right now.  Percentages always depend on how much money you are budgeting.)

I think everyone has to find their best solution to budget categories.  Some have "recreation" or "education" and some even separate clothes and furniture and eating out within all their choices.  I needed to fit mine on one page, for now, so that is what I came up with.

My new form lets me enter a date, details about the entry, the full amount, how it was paid, and then which categories were included in the single purchase amount.  This will let me keep track of a lot of things.

Basic accounting principles are similar.  I don't want to do a whole set of books right now... that would be too much for me.  This may be a better solution for my life than the other way I was keeping track of things.  I can't even begin to number the different versions I have gone through as I develop my yearly recordkeeping.

My goal pages are next on the list for creating new versions.

Well, that's enough for now... it is late (for me).  I don't know how deeply I want to get into more serious topics yet, so this will have to do for now.

Until next time,

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

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May the GOD I love be the One who loves me... shows me the way to go, provides for my needs, protects me and those I love, answers my prayers, watches over my life, keeps harm away, saves the souls of all I know and care about. Amen.

Thursday, 19 April 2018

My goodness... 

I decided to download Open Office for my workload... I just don't want to pay for OFFICE 365 right now... I hate the idea of the cloud, but I really don't even know if Open Office does the same thing... I hope not.  I have to find a way to do computing the old way and still be able to function in today's internet.  Is that possible?  I don't know.

I'm getting use to my new computer system... trying to find my CD for the printer I have.  It is a challenge to fit everything into this space.

My food supplies seem to be OK for now, I'm using soft (bottled) hand soap for shampoo because I wasn't able to buy my regular shampoo.  I did buy a huge substitute bottle, but I am going to give that to a mission when I can reach one of the downtown locations.  It is just not my "flavor"...  My laundry is done... It is going to be warm soon.  I may get to wear some shorts without "leggings" to keep me warm.  :-)  I think I am set for the weekend.

I downloaded a PDF on writing from COMPEL, via an email I get from them.  One of my sons in jail has been saying he wants to write things, so I will copy it and send it to him.  It seems like writing is a relatively easy thing to do, but it isn't.  I think this will help him decide if writing is really what he wants to focus on.  People in jail are desperate to succeed, and grasp at anything that might work.  I know that feeling... poverty, homelessness, etc., can create the same feelings.  Finding something that will work is harder, but better in the long-term.

I have so many economic issues myself that it is hard to help anyone else.  I try to forward info when I can... on social media as well.

I received an email on selling things online that had a link to video/s, too... so I watched some of them.  I think the best option for me is to find a good "drop-ship" product for some of my selling efforts... where to put it, I don't know.  The videos I am watching today are a series on AMAZON selling.  They had several web links, YouTube links, etc.... the main one is ASM, amazingsellingmachine.com --- I think.  :-)  I need help with my listing creations, and I think this kind of information helps at any selling site even though it is specific with Amazon.  I got some great hints.  And I found out the photo dimensions I need for that website.  Their fulfillment option is a lot like drop-shipping, but a bit different, and a little more costly (a problem for me).

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I had to go do something, did you miss me?  :-)
It is kind of funny how you can start writing with one train of thought and then just go off in another direction... when you come back to the keyboard! 

I am trying to get better at making links with my posts... so readers can go check out the things I am discovering.

It is almost midnight again... I get carried away with the online tasks and lose track of time.  This new computer is really a challenge to discover.  I had to search for the screensaver, and then I wasn't able to put in the words I wanted to have on it.  A big disappointment.  I have my  logo/mission statement on my old computer... it wasn't a problem there.  (One God, One Bible, One Christ, One Salvation, One Body)  I decide to have "Change the Future!" on this one... that fit.  I think this unit allows 20 characters... and the display choices were a pain.

I wonder what brand new ones allow you to do.

This weekend should be fun... getting my routines back to as normal as they can be.  I have a lot to catch up with.  I can't wait to get my new (used) food documentaries... I haven't even seen the GMO one.

Well, better go for now.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD bless our lives, our country, our world, with the greatness that comes with truth, mercy, love, kindness, goodness, and joy.  If only we all could be the people that GOD meant us to be... and "work together" to help each other.

It may seem selfish, but I continue to pray that GOD will provide the finances I so desperately need to make Working Together established before I die.  There is so much I wanted to do... and there's so little time left.  May GOD have mercy on my dreams for helping as many as I can.

Amen.

Wednesday, 18 April 2018

It's already nearing 11:30pm, but it is still Wednesday, so we will consider this my Wednesday post... however long it takes to write.  I already went to bed about 9 with a bad body and headache... then got up a bit ago to take some more aspirin.  I was standing too much today because I was putting together the computer tower system I got today, and trying it out.  It was a strain on my body.  I hope to recover by tomorrow.

I was delighted to see there was a keyboard and mouse with it.  The Wi-Fi is a small USB thing.  It works, kind of.  :-)  I don't want to attach to the "cloud" for everything, but there doesn't seem to be any choice.  It didn't connect to the router when I first tried it... later it did.  I wish I was a techy person... I'm just a tiny bit techy.

Tomorrow I have to move things around some more to get it all to fit.  In time, I will have the best options for me figured out.

My little room space is a mess!  I didn't do much else besides the computer tasks.  I will be catching up tomorrow.

The sun was out today, that was nice.  The dogs loved it, too.  :-)

On Wednesday's I am able to watch two shows on OPB, when I remember them.  I sometimes watch one called Start Up ( startup-usa.com ) and today they did a segment on the cupcake business that was on Shark Tank... nice.  The way they package their cupcakes in the canning jars is out!  :-)  I am sure it was the flavors that make them so hot, but copycats live for those things.  I thought it was great the way the whole concept started... Mom and daughter took a cake decorating class together.  Prior to that there was no thought of any kind of business... :-)  I was also interested to hear that it was about a year from the time they filmed their show on Shark Tank until it aired... so that was the time they "prepped" for a possible G.R.O.W.T.H. event... which did happen.  Starting with a $30K loan, they did pretty good... always in the profit amounts.  They did mention that they had to learn about cash flow issues when their resources got pretty low.

The second segment for that show was a local-focus art studio and gallery, which has been struggling to survive.  They were able to start with an SBA loan, but realized they should have asked for more... so that was their advice :: whatever you think you will need, DOUBLE IT!  :-)   Money is always an issue... for everything we do.  I did like the concept they had, though.  We have a local SCRAP program here in Portland, which would benefit by operating something similar.  During the program, the founder of the shop demonstrated making tiles with alcohol ink (like the cupcake founder demonstrated how to make a cupcake to send out).  I liked seeing the process.  I may try it to see if it is something I can incorporate into my artistic projects.

My main event (on OPB) on Wednesdays is to watch the crafting show that comes on after the Start Up program...the Beads, Baubles, and Jewels show.  It is one of the few crafting shows left, especially on Wednesdays.  Make It Artsy has a different flavor.  Beads shows how to make jewelry mostly... Artsy does all kinds of visual art forms.  Today the Bead show had a short display of tassel options by the hostess, and then two other segments by other creators.  One was about birthstone designs, the other was about liquid clay!  I never hear about these kinds of crafts unless I see them on shows like these or on YouTube videos.  Liquid clay is still polymer clay that gets baked... an important point to remember... but it creates a whole different design option.  I guess you have to buy it already liquid, but I did wonder what they use to make it thin... and if I could make my own.  :-)  The main idea with exploring these different craft options is that you can fit them into your own work someday... at least, that is my motivation.

I guess that's enough... it is almost midnight.  I'm going to try to post this before it becomes Thursday!  :-)

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD help me.  Amen.

Tuesday, 17 APR 2018

I almost forgot about posting today... was ready to get to bed after a long session of shopping and buying... online... at eBay, Amazon, and ChristianBook.com !!!  I finally made the commitment to get my March and April food documentary DVDs... some of the titles are hard to find for me... I am just figuring out which ones I want and where to look.  I bought Food Inc and GMO OMG... both should be great... I hope so.  I looked for In Defense of Food, but had a hard time... at the price I could afford.  I will have to save for that one.  I am praying (PRAYING) the ones I decided to buy will be good copies.

I have been looking at a lot of food links today... trying to find recipes/meals I can eat. 

That's about it.

I think this is a short post night... I will try to do better next time.

Until then...
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May we all have the food we need to survive and clean water.  Amen.

It's MONDAY! 16 April 2018

Where do I start... this is really a challenge when I sit to write these posts.  I wonder what matters.

I haven't received my new (refurbished) computer tower yet, so all those questions are still passing through my mind... over and over and over and over again...  I keep wondering if I will need until Christmas to get it to operate!  :-)

I saw an exercycle on a Habitat ReStore post today... no mention of the price.  I wondered if it worked. 

There were some great videos on YouTube to watch... I'm looking for one thing and find a bunch of other topics.  I am finding it so amazing how different each presenter is. 

I found a guy sharing how to screen print t-shirts and he explained it so good... pretty much, anyway.  His name was ....something... Carmichael.  I think the video was from 2012, or something in the past like that.  He showed how to do the emulsion the best I have seen so far.  Now I want to get some of the real stuff and try it out.  He actually used sheer curtan material for his screen.  That will be interesting to try. 

I found the most amazing t-shirt artist that works with little cones of color and fancy lettering shapes.  I was so very glad to see that one... I never would have thought it was even possible.  I save the video to my account, but don't recall her name.  I can still see it in my mind... I can't wait to try that!

What else did I like... well, I think I want the BROTHER Scan-n-cut 2 for my crafting space... and one of the die cutting machines I have seen.  They will really help me create my original designs.  Julie Fei Fan Balzar was acting as the spokesperson for them, demonstrating a lot of the different details of owning and using them.  She is the hostess of MAKE IT ARTSY, a program I found on OPB here in Portland.  I try to watch it when I can.  That is where I saw the PROXXON hobby machines for woodworking.

Got the little bag sealer finally. It has NO ENGLISH on the package :-) so I had to figure out the right size of batteries and how to make them fit.  It wasn't too hard, but I did think it funny.  We get so spoiled.  I often wonder how hard it is for people who don't speak english here... and how terrible it would be for me in another country.

Once I did get the batteries in the right way, it was like instant HOT!  I will try it out on a bag soon.  Maybe this will be my answer to portion control!   (Not likely.  haha)   I will say I was truly amazed at how quickly two small AA batteries got that sealing metal hot.  I think I might be tempted to buy another set.   Maybe another brand to see the differences.

Now that I have a bunch of my food making supplies, I may get to making some of the items I hope to sell in time.  I need to work out a record system to know what products I get and where I get them... so I can order more of the items I like.  :-)

I continue to pray for GOD's mercies on my finances, so I can move my dreams along a bit faster, feel more secure, and get the space I need to function... and all the equipment that is required.   PRAY for me.

That's about all for now.
Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May the GOD of all send just a little bit of the universe my way.  Thanks.  Amen.  :-)

PS - I guessed on some of the links above (OPB and BROTHER)...   :-)

Thursday, 12 April 2018

I guess I have been too long on the internet... a lot at Facebook today... after lots of food prep.

I tried a version of making chili based on a recipe I saw on YouTube (avantgardevegan - also a .com) and my own plans for chili... it turned out pretty good, but was way more than I wanted.  I ate two servings and have four more in the fridge!  I think I will freeze at least two of them, maybe three, as I have two salads to eat up and other foods that can't be frozen.  I am already working on how to downsize this recipe.  :-) 

My issue, I think I have shared before, is what spices to put in chili made from scratch.  The recipe mentioned above used cumin and oregano and... I think.  Cumin seems to be a SW spice... I'm learning how to use it.  I've been searching chili recipes for some time now, so they all have their "secret spice" choices.  I put in some pickled jalepenos so I didn't put a lot of other peppers in this batch.  I tried a little of my cinnamon sugar, too.  :-)    Usually I put lots of my homemade garlic salt in my foods, but this one I didn't... when I ate it.  I am happy it turned out so well, and not spicy hot either! 

I'm trying to develop two spice packets to sell later... one for salsa and one for chili.  It may take awhile.... I'll let you know when I get there.  :-)

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Did I tell you I finally decided to buy a computer tower to do some computer work...  I was researching prices all over the place on Amazon last night... just seeing what was out there, checking on shipping costs, wondering if it was a good idea... so I found one that was in my budget and seemed good...  I ordered it, and I am PRAYING it will be a good deal for me.  It has wireless capabilities so I don't know if I will have to buy a new keyboard and/or mouse or any other "added" items.  I'm wondering if I can hook it up to my printer.  Lots of things I don't know about, but I am desperate for a real computer system so I hope this works out.

Buying as many supplies as I did this month has changed my budget, but I will be able to get more done in the long run.  I have over half the month to be busy here at home doing as much as I can.  :-)  

I have been going over the lists in my goal notebook today, deciding what to focus on.

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Toby Mac had a message post on Facebook today that made me comment back... it was the verse on where we put our loyalty, possessions here on earth or doing works that will be recognized in heaven.  In the writing of my comment, I shared the view that our limitations often keep us in places we would not stay if we weren't limited by GOD... and I have been thinking about it since I shared it.  We know things are true, but we don't think about them all the time.  I have experienced these issues with GOD in the past.

I guess I should add that I prefaced all this detail about limitations with a comment that many people think rich people are out of the will of GOD if they don't share all their bounty with them...  the idea that Christians are not suppose to have any wealth (possessions) because they must be coveting if they do.  :-)    I was trying to add that GOD gives us what we need to fulfill HIS WILL at that particular point in time... whether poverty or abundance.

I suppose the key is good works to be done with what GOD provides us... to remember that it has a purpose in our lives and the purpose is not just our comforts.   It has always been a prayer focus of mine to find the balance between what is reasonable to have a decent life and what is too much... what needs to be shared.   I have made myself poor more than once, and suffered in some of my learning curve mistakes, but I would not change the process.  It pushed me into creating Working Together, to see that there is a better way somewhere out there, where we help others and still have a decent life ourselves...

I think I added something at the end of my comment about how difficult the issues of money are.  They are so hard to reconcile with.

But I can't control the world... or GOD... or anything else really.  I am busy with all the details of my survival and searching... I think GOD will provide as He sees fit.  I try to understand that process in my life and let everyone else figure out their balance.  In the end, we will all stand in judgment for what we do, and don't do.

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I guess that is enough for today... I'm ready to go do something else.  :-) 
I'm still thinking about my "treasures" and GOD.

In Christ,
Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Well, I missed the congressional hearing with Mark Zuckerberg today, and lots of yesterday...  I checked C-span and there it was, so I posted it at some of my Facebook links... I may post at Twitter later.  I hope I have enough energy to watch it all tonight.  I will reserve some or all of my comments for later... if I can... PRAY I can... I need to watch it all and take notes. 

I wrote somewhere that it was like an inquisition... later I wrote somewhere that it was like they are putting all their hatred for the problems of the internet on him... I'm not sure it will help anyone.  The internet is a new frontier, and we are all discovering its good and its evil.  I also wrote, somewhere, that there is no easy solution to these issues... no one government can regulate a global entity like the internet... it's going to be an interesting process, especially since the government takes so long to do anything, and all they really want is election dollars...

In the parts I saw yesterday, I did note that there are many thousands of people who have the job of policing Facebook... but they think that Mark Zuckerberg, who is busy with lots of other issues running a global entity, somehow can know and control every action that occurs in all his employees.  This has been a difficult problem throughout our history... finding someone to "blame" for the problems we don't want to have.

I wrote, somewhere, that I was amazed they asked him WHY he bought Instagram... think about it, what connection does that have with the information breech they are suppose to be investigating...

I wrote, somewhere, that I didn't like the tone of Ted? Cruz until I realized he was confronting the issue of political correctness and freedom of speech... the systematic oppression of Christian opinions... the concept that other views do not have rights.  We are not talking about legal and illegal actions, just the difference of opinions in the greater conversations... suppressing the ones you don't want to exist and disagree with.  The definition of "politically correct"...

So much for not sharing my opinions.... I am sure I will find more to comment on with the rest of the hearings.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=576842446005960&id=173649979658544

My quest to reduce my popcorn diet is not rising to conquer some calories I can do without... sad.  I did miss one day.  :-)

I missed my blog post yesterday because I got so absorbed in online shopping research... looking for the price of something and then ending up making purchases... that is how it goes!  My craft budget is gone... and my emergency cash... and..... who knows what other category will suffer for one night of shopping bliss.   :-)   I discovered some great deals and decided to get them... shipping cost me a fortune... I have to find a way through that expense!

I have been dealing with some of the people who think that anyone who does not agree with their viewpoints must be controlled, at any cost.  They don't seem to be godly people because of some of the things they do... so, guess who else they could be!  Yep... all those "politically correct" people who, I say, "want to rule the world" -- I don't think the world will be better for that goal...

These kinds of events in life make you search out GOD, what you believe, what is really true, how to proceed, what faith really is... it's hard to deal with these things.  Sometimes I don't do very well at it.  Other times I close my eyes and pray for strength, guidance, judgment of the terrible sinners who deserve it, and mercy for the innocent.  Sometimes I wonder how Christians in America will survive these changes... being powerless to stop a covert attack on your life is really hard to understand and overcome and find godly solutions for.  In the end, I decided just to keep my focus on GOD and remember that HE is able to do all that is needed, so what I need to do is remain faithful to Him... like the prisoners who went into the fiery furnace, facing death because they believed in their GOD.

I don't know if I will be alive when the Antichrist gets here... things are moving so fast it is hard to make plans for the future...  I hope not.  It doesn't mean I won't die.  I will die somehow, someday, someway... whether by natural causes or by the Antichrist or by some other means.  I hope I remain faithful to the end of my life...

Well, I am thinking again... I better end this post here.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May we all find a path to a better future, without fear and pain and oppression, without sin, without too much suffering.
May life be good, and forgiveness find its way into our hearts and lives.
May Christians everywhere gather together to support and protect each other.
May GOD provide for every need.
Amen.

Monday, 9 April 2018

It is another Monday, another week, another post...  sounds exciting, huh!

A lot happened over the weekend, but I haven't made a posting record.  I wondered what GOD would do, how I will survive my daily challenges,  browsed the internet/social media, and just kept looking for answers. 

I slept a lot more this weekend... the past week, actually.  And I am still tired.

My Bible DVD is great so far... I listen to it and I am able to remember so many of the passages... I love hearing them again.

My son took me to the store nearby so I have enough food to get by for awhile.  That is always a good thing.  I am beginning to find new meals to eat, foods to prepare, spices to experiment with.

The new budget is surviving... but that is more because I have a hard time going anywhere  (haha) than discipline.  I have been shopping online a lot more... which can kill a budget.  I'm trying to figure out a better way to keep track of those  purchases by the budget category they are getting paid from.  It will work out in time...

That is about it...

I posted a video from the National Day of Prayer for this year...  you can find it at my Facebook pages... /DeborahMartin.2014  and also at my WorkingTogetherInc page, and my Fixing America page.  In my text with the video post, I share my thoughts about it.  The video is an audio sharing of the prayer with the text put on the screen as it is read.  I downloaded it so I can watch it again.  You can do that, too.  I hope millions of people keep praying it before the first THURSDAY in May (the 3rd this year), and afterwards... all year and through to the next event in 2019.

https://www.facebook.com/DeborahMartin.2014/posts/2042931232628376  -- I checked my last clipboard save and there it was.  I wish I had the  main website address to link you to... it should be at this link.

My books from HamiltonBook.com arrived today... all three are so great.  The one on hand tools for woodworking is much thicker than I expected it to be... it looks like a treasure chest for me!  The Biggest Loser calorie counting book is also going to be great for me... it will go great with my other book by them... a cookbook I think it was.  My third book was a cookbook for Holiday Candy -- and it turns out to have recipes from other parts of the world.  We all love our candy!  :-)  It also turns out that it covers a lot of holidays over the year.  I'm looking forward to trying some of these.  It's a really nice cookbook.

I didn't get my digital thermometer yet.  It was originally scheduled to arrive last Friday, then rescheduled to today.  It looks like is might get delivered tomorrow.  I hope so.  I want to see if it works, and if I can use it for making food items (like candy).  I want to be able to read the temp more easily.

Tomorrow will be a busy food day... I have about five or more things to do in food prep tomorrow.

I watched some news tonight... how depressing it was.  In my email from National Right to Life News there was a blurb about the Washington Post and NY Times (I think those were the two mentioned... because they are always slanting everything to the liberal view) having an article on their LACK of bias.  I laughed at the first paragraph, of two sentences, maybe.  When I got to browsing the rest of the article, I got hysterical.  I had to make a comment on that!  I think I shared the web link and a comment in a Facebook post, but I am not sure.  I tend to comment a lot, and sometimes forget where I comment.  It is hard to keep track without printing copies... which is not possible all the time.   Anyway... my comment was about how news by groups like NRLC (.org ?) is expected to be bias, but mainstream media is suppose to report all the details for everyone... and compensate for their bias in reporting or writing.  Something like that....

When I see the glee on the liberal news reporters faces about the Trump Tower fire, it really makes me sad.  Their goal is to keep bad attention on the people they don't like, and they don't like Trump.  This hurts all of us.  It is the same as not reporting important things about Obama, who was their presidential liberal.  When it was Bush, a Republican, the negative pressure was always at the front of the stories.  This is hurting America.  It is hurting us, plain citizens, who need to have a source or sources for the news we need to know about.  One of these days, that will become evident, but it may be too late to save us.

I also happened on a few minutes of the Budget being discussed on Cspan today... then it went back to the Senate floor for a tribute of some kind... I had no way to see the rest of the Q/A session.  I did hear how big the debt had become and will become in the years to come... and some of the talk about our GDP and spending issues.  Not good.  I complained about that somewhere... besides here... which is really only a mention.

I am trying to get a real computer to collect information, draft better posts and articles, and spend some time working on real sharing, with details and links to their sources... but we have to wait on that.

I happened on some information about the savings accounts for poor people to buy houses, which have been expanded to include business and education and some other categories.  I forgot about that option.  I had checked into it a long time ago, when I couldn't even save the minimum $25 a month... so, maybe now is a good time to try again.  I was thinking saving for my badly needed office systems would be good... or a kiln and other supplies.   What they do is match my savings dollars with three program dollars... AFTER I attend some financial literacy classes and reach my goal amount...  I think they are called IDA accounts,  Individual ??? Accounts.  I can't reach that info right now. 

So, this is a good time to end this post... if you need some "extra" funding, check them out for yourself.  :-)

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD help America to deal with its debt and protect our future.  Amen.

Thursday, 5 April 2018

I hope we do better with our posting process today...

I guess I am still thinking about the issues of race, humanity, the future... these are very deep topics for all of us.

The stock market seems to keep going up, then down, then up, then down... interest rates are something I don't see as an investment option... you don't get a return on zero percent.  It is my understanding the rate increase issues are for charging interest so people can get a loan? 

On NBR the interest on US Bonds, that you buy and hope to make money from over 10, 20, and 30 years, seems to be from 0-3%... which, I will admit, I don't yet know if it is yearly or over the course of the whole bond commitment.  One percent is an earnings of one dollar per hundred... If you invest $1000 in bonds, you get a whole $10 for whatever term is valid.  I should confess that I watch it because I have been trying to figure out a way we could save our country by doing something with the debt... and, I think, bonds (savings bonds) are the only option for the US government.  I am not sure, but I think those are the bonds that get sold whenever we need money to run the government for one more voting period.  Those are the bonds everyone else owns, like China.  I think we need to reform our priorities for taking money from foreigners.  My view is that ONLY American citizens should own our debt... we can work deals better with our own citizens... having China or any other country own our debt puts us in a compromising situation.

I guess there is no guaranteed investment vehicle, but I decided a long time ago to invest in people... through Working Together, which was suppose to be more viable than it is.  I have it all planned... we invest in new business efforts, and they provide income for the future.  I have a lot of other details to the plan, which I don't want to deal with here, but it will rely on GOD, on our choices of who to invest in, what to invest in, and what they want.  It is kind of a stock buy, but not the same as a Wall Street purchase.  :-) 

Buying land is also on the agenda for WT monies... so there will be places for members to live, when that time comes.

What else... I can't remember right now... but the whole purpose of WT is to provide for its Christian membership first, then the Public members who need it, and then everyone else.   Sounds like a good plan for America, too... provide for citizens, then visitors, then the rest of the world.  Of course, WT has a benevolence process, too... so charity is part of the program... that would be taking care of the poor in American budget language.

How would I invest my own money... the same way, I suppose.  I expected to eventually earn the ten percent required by the stock regulators as distributions of profits.  Since WT is for the Christian cause, I planned to use personal funds for other kinds of programs that need help... things that aren't Christian in their foundations, but do good works in preserving the world.  Who know what they would be.

Anyway, that was part of the plan.  Now, after all these years, I wonder what GOD will allow me to do.

I think I am lamenting the way things are, and have been for so long.  I hoped to change these problems.  I didn't care what the status quo was, I just wanted to get the directions changed, to start the process of moving in more godly directions, and save as many families in the process as I could.

I suppose this is the difference between dreams and reality, between poverty and those in places of power, between good and evil... etc.  We all start out with dreams and goals, sometimes they are just regular life goals and sometimes they change into monumental historical goals... but things don't turn out the way we want them to.    I often say that no one plans their "trial" in life, the thing they have to face and overcome, grow through, fight against... but every one of us has a battle that we face.  These are the pivot points that change our lives, our goals, and the things that matter to us.

Poverty changed my life, led me to Working Together, and keeps me searching for answers to help change this suffering for the future, for others.  Kids with addictions changed my life, led me to discover prison issues from juveniles to adults.  Homelessness changed my life, and led me to search for reasons why and how to stop the pain it causes.  Discovering the Bible changed my life, and led me to find there is a Truth that isn't always shared in every denomination... that we all have to find GOD's Truth on our own, because we will be judged by it when that day comes.  I suppose there are more things that changed my life dramatically and forever, but those are the ones that keep popping up as at the top of the lists.

What changed your life?  Where did it lead you?

Let me know...

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD touch our lives and make us have good dreams, overcome our hardships, and help us to mourn what we lost and then move forward.
May we find our happiness in things that matter, things that are important, not frivolous fads and meaningless possessions.
May we be brave enough to believe in what GOD made us to be... and to trust Him as we walk toward His goal for us.
May we love others as much as we love ourselves, or better than we love ourselves if we haven't discovered our worth yet.
May goodness rule the day, with honesty, with kindness, with truths that are important, and with generosity and gratefulness.
Amen.

Wednesday, 4 April 2018

Here we go again... I have to start over... the computer gremlins have attacked again.  :-(

I was sharing about the death of MLK, this being the anniversary of that day... and the news was filled with memorial events being held.  I thought it was strange that the same motel where he was killed was still in existence, and used for the memorial.  He died 50 years ago.  I guess our construction lasts over a hundred years if we want it to.  I didn't hear in the reports whether the site was purchased and saved specifically for historical preservation purposes.

I was remembering those years in my life... 1963 was the death of JFK, I think... I remember crying when he died, and I remember buying a vinyl record of his best speeches.  I remember being in the front yard of the house where I lived at that time.

I think Bobby Kennedy died around 1965... but I'm not sure.  I didn't follow politics as a child.  I may have seen the news about it back then.

In 1968, when MLK died, I would have been heading into high school... I'm not sure I was very involved in the battles of segregation and racism back then.  I recall a few events in my family about those issues, but I don't know how important the subject or politics around it were to me.  I remember writing a piece for school about interracial marriages... which would be reflected in the movies by GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER.  I loved LILIES OF THE FIELD (?) with Sidney Poitier, too.  I lived in California, southern California, which is very different than the South.  I discovered the South in 1973...

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The computer gremlins hit again...  I am sad that these things are part of my life, too.  Those with power seem to abuse it without a moral foundation to prevent them, internally.  It may be this tablet, because this loss didn't happen with a real computer... but it is too familiar, too timed, too integrated, to believe it is not connected to a difference in opinions.  Why, only GOD knows.
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It is hard to recall all the things I was trying to share about my life and how race, violence, and other events affect us... affected me.  

I was raised in southern California and the attitudes there were very different than the South.  Still, we had the Watts riots.  I remember being afraid of blacks because of all the hatred and violence toward the white communities.  There is no way to know who is safe or who is angry.  The news showed us how dangerous groups can become... about a lot of topics... the battle for freedom and equality for the blacks, the battles against the war in Vietnam, and other groups that became forceful in their public events... like the KKK, the White Supremists, the Anarchists, etc.  Hiding behind their "uniforms" and devastating our world.

Without a moral foundation to stop you, movements become more and more angry and violent and coercive.  It doesn't matter what is right in the larger community of humanity... it becomes "my way or the highway" -- a theme for many of us growing up in authoritarian households.  There is a huge difference between good people and people who have an agenda to implement.  The Antichrist won't suddenly appear on the global scene.  He will grow into his place in prophecy.  I wonder if he will be like the Nazi's or take a different route.  No one knows.

I guess the battle for equality, for respect just because we exist, has so many facets to it.  There is abortion, there is education, there is financial disparity, there is race, and now there is sexuality... we all have different views, and our idea of what is right is based on a lot of different criteria.  The desire to eliminate GOD from our existence is one group trying to keep the biblical teachings of GOD from stopping their desired activity.  Those who have no GOD have no reason to think their chosen path is wrong for anyone.  Every part of our lives is a battle of viewpoints.

There are no easy solutions.
We have to find the best solutions for the most people.

I have always been a heavy thinker, pondering the greater elements of our existence, of faith, of survival... I have found some answers for my life, but there are others that may never find a final resting place.  Pray for me to find better words, to find a way to share my life before it is over.  Pray that GOD will protect me from my enemies, provide for the many needs I have, and help me to discover a place I can live and work until the day He calls me home.  Thanks.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD be kind to those who love Him.
May we find ways to work together in the places where we live... without hate and violence and forced theologies.
May the future bring us better relationships, respect for our differences and the ability to talk about why we believe what we do.
May life be valued, may the need to make others suffer and die be forgotten, and may all people all over the world allow each person to make their own decisions about faith, about education, about work, about the things that affect them.
May we all find ways to support our existence without crime and extortion and hurting others.
Amen.

Tuesday, 3 April 2018

What a good day... I received my hand blender early!  I can soak some paper scraps tonight and try it out tomorrow.  Hope it works good...  I have some screen-like material I will use to see if it works.  I will need to dedicate a crafting tub for paper related projects and store my supplies in it.  Things are getting interesting.  :-)

I haven't started my butane torch yet... I think I have to do that outside, or in a well-ventilated area.  I need to check on that.

I did search for the process to check your eggs and found some really nice videos.  I shared at least one on my Facebook page...  which is  http://facebook.com/DeborahMartin.2014  if I remember right.  I have a list of all my internet sites... somewhere!  I will need to get that list into my goals notebook.

The one blog site / video channel I remember is the HOMESTEADING FAMILY, which had a great presentation on how to save and store fresh eggs for eight MONTHS or more!!!  Amazing!  I had no idea that was even possible.  When she did the video to show the results, she used the water test and the egg test.  I watched a really nice video on how to test eggs from a lady in the UK, who also shows how the eggs look after you crack them open, so you can keep that in mind as you use store-bought eggs.  Then I discovered the best one yet, just for that water test.  I think that may be the one I shared on Facebook because it was only a bit over a minute and also included the estimated weeks eggs will last.  I don't recall the name, but it was an egg-related name.  I think it was from an egg farmer... It may be the one I watched from 2009.

It's well worth the time to track these videos down.  As I get better with my posts, I will try to collect the web links and share them with my posts.

I am toying with the idea of using one of my recylable cabinet doors and drawers for a loom.  I'm working out the detail in my mind.  I was trying to use a drawer as a drying rack for my art works and other crafts, based on an ad I noticed over the weekend, then I could see that a bunch of nails would make a loom possible.  The drawer project is like the picture hanging bulletin boards only the strings allow you to hang up things to dry.  I need some place to put things in-between my layers of activity on them.  I am hoping that will work.  I can see a post for my Art, Crafts, and Recycling page at Facebook...  :-)  By the end of the year I should have all these things figured out... GOD willing, if life doesn't throw me another terrible turn.

Did I share that I received a wonderful tribute magazine about Billy Graham... from their DECISION magazine staff.  So nice.  BGEA just sent info on a DVD they are offering about him... I sent back a question about the contents... if it has a whole bunch of his sermons on the DVD, I would love it... and love to share it!  I hope it does. 

I am trying to think of other things I want to share, but... can't.  I am tired so I wanted to get this finished early. 

I was up in the night and wound up checking for a cookbook at a site I buy from, then linked to a sale at a Christian bookseller from their email.  I decided to get one of the Bible DVDs that were offered.  I hope it is a good idea.  I need a Bible I can use to listen to.  I guess these have the text on the screen as the audio is played.  I don't know yet.  It's my favorite version, the King James... original, not the New KJV.  I'm not sure where I will fit these into my budget....    they are all things I wanted to get... well, one was a choice to get but not necessary.  The problem with online purchasing is that you can't browse the book or decide if it is really something you want.  Hamilton Books (.com) doesn't even put the published year in their details.  One day they will have the sample option like Amazon does... they all will. 

I have been hearing a lot of "leaders" promoting raising the retirement age, and I feel the need to comment (again?) on the need to lower it to at least 50.  Jobs are going away.  People will need that option to survive what is coming our way.  It may be the only thing that helps them get through the shock and desperation of poverty and unexpected loss of a job as an older person.  I figure we need to create a system that lets the recipient decide when they will utilize a retirement option.  The benefits will be different at earlier ages, but at least there is something there to help them get through.  I'm not sure how to "spread my message" about this.  Maybe you can think about it and share it with people who can do something to make the future more realistic for all us regular people.

That's about all I can do today.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May we all think about the future without fear, so we can plan a better way to make it through together.  Amen.

Monday, 2 April 2018

My machine is dealing with very slow processing today...  I hope I make it through this posting effort!  Just wanted to warn you...

Today... busy... ate too much!  Made a new bread recipe that is going to need some changes  :-)  but I refuse to throw it away!  It is in pieces, some hard crust, lots of good stuff in it... I see croutons, and I may microwave some cheese on it and then top it with salsa --- eating it with a fork.  :-)  Creative eating.  And trying to save the money I spent on ingredients.  I am already deciding how to change my recipe for the next try.

Received my BUTANE order early!  It was suppose to get here on the 10th.  I like it... doesn't happen that often!  Tomorrow I will try to figure out my butane torch for my craft projects.  I don't want to open my metal clay until I know what I want to make with it... or some kind of an idea.  The videos I have seen make the piece you get look very small... It can be rolled thin, but I am wondering if I will only get one or two finished pieces out of it...  I glued some of my old playing cards together today to make more of the depth guages metal clay is measured with.  I guess they used playing cards as their standard way back when.  One card thick, two cards thick, etc.  I purchased one of the size 3 rolling aids with the kit, I made sizes One, Two, Four, and Six.  I have to find more cards to do the other sizes.  I thought it was funny they didn't have a size Seven in the catalog.  I will start with the size three, and decide from there.  I gues the shrinkage is 10-15% with metal clay.  I have to learn what that means.

Also received my scale package!!!  It is going to be great!!!  I have to figure out how to store it so it won't get damaged somehow.  It has grams, ounces, pounds, pounds and ounces, and mililiters (approximated).  I am moving into the use of it as I figure out what I want to make and need to measure.  I have some books and other items to sell, so I may see what happens with them on the scale.

In a twist of discovery, I found some camping equipment I had already, but didn't realize it.  I found my Sterno camp stove and a metal wind guard I gathered on my path.  The emergency camp stove I bought arrived in today's package, too. It is so small, but perfect for a backpack or small collection of emergency supplies... kind of like a small first aid kit.  I will save this one for my emergency supplies.  I need to look for some sterno now.  I will have three options, if I need them.  When I was homeless in my van, I created a "stove" with tea lights (5) in a small circle pyrex dish with a small grate over it.  I was amazed at how well it worked.  I still have the ceramic bowl that was my cooking and eating dish... it is a planter, and still has the burn marks on it.  Memories are good to keep... to remember what you have been through... to keep yourself from thinking you are better than those who are still suffering on the street, in their cars, in the bushes, and anywhere else.

I was a bit surprised by the parchment sheets I ordered.  They came in a small box so I assume they are folded.  I haven't decided if I want to open the box yet.  Maybe I will just put it with my emergency supplies.

Been working on my paper mache projects.  That is a long-term effort... trying different options to see if I can create something worth selling.

The news had an update about all those adopted kids that died or are missing (presumed dead).  It is bad enough when people kill themselves, but to kill innocent kids who could have finished their lives somewhere else... it has me so sad.  I always wonder what the unknown story is... the why... I don't know if we will ever find out this time.  The news if very unclear about the details... about which kids are still missing... except for the one who was viral on the internet.  I wonder if he was crying because he wished he could ask for help from the policeman.

The Russia/America conflict was on TV today, in the form of the movie RED OCTOBER.  We have moved into an internet war, which is very different from the past.  I am wondering what will happen... eventually, someone will show us.  :-(

I guess that is enough for today.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD help us to prepare for the unknown future... protect us, provide for us, and show us how to stay true to what is good and what is godly... to preserve our souls when persecutions grow and become painful.  My prayer is to gather as many Christians together for sharing resources, protecting each other, and fellowship.  May GOD help me to accomplish that destiny.  Amen.

Resurrection Sunday, 1 April 2018

My mind (thoughts) have been lots of places this weekend... from Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday... from sin to salvation... from life to death... from good to evil... from past to future... lots of different thoughts as the days went by, caused by things in my life, sermons I heard, things I believe that differ from some of the current church theology I receive on the radio and TV and internet. 

I guess we have to realize that our information will be corrupted... by someone with an agenda of their own... people who know how to do it.  Many years ago I heard that drug cartels, mafias, or someone like that, would download entire websites to commit crimes... It was because they had the money to do it... and knew how... and wanted to.  It's like the Nazi's... just because they lost the war, it doesn't mean they disappeared... they just went into hiding.  Criminals don't go away either... they just get smarter about doing wrong.

I think about these things because I think about what is going to happen in the END TIMES... that is what Working Together is all about, trying to help Christians through to the end of our lives, to the Antichrist, etc.  I suppose it may seem morbid for the regular Christian persona, but it is my focus.

Today I was trying to catch up with my weekend and get ready for the next week.  With the start of a new month, I also spent some time updating some of my record forms, budgets, goal pages, etc.  I am working on my TO-DO lists now... trying to make things more clear, and defined, and eventually prioritized.  Right now, I am making as complete a list as I can.  It is so easy to forget things. I want to find a way to do my top three for the day, with meaning to the choices I make.  I have been putting categories like crafts or blog, but that isn't working good.  I need to do three specific things that matter to my life on that day.

I am excited to be getting my crafting supplies this week... I'm really looking forward to my digital scale for weighing foods for recipes that have weights, for weighing my packages to figure out mailing costs (approximately), for weighing food items to get them equal in size, and for weighing for making labels.  This should be a really great improvement.  The one I picked is suppose to give you equivanlents in pounds and ounces and grams and liters... and maybe one more thing... I think it said it does five different computations... I don't recall all of them now, but I know they were all important.  :-)

I am also expecting a digital thermometer to try with my candy recipes.  I hope it helps.  I had to limit my spending this time, so I will get the other ones I wanted next purchase.

I am also going to get my crafting blender that is held in your hands... for my paper pulping and plaster projects and whatever else I can do with it.  I am already getting my paper shreds ready!  Yeah!

My paper mache is coming along... changing as I experiment (and fail) with different things I have seen on YouTube.  It is OK with me... I want to find my own way to make items to sell, but have to figure out what is possible... that is what YouTube provides... lots of great people sharing great ideas.  I like it, and hope to add my own videos to the selections when I can.

Tomorrow is a busy day with food issues... Tuesday I may go to the Farmer's Market, if I can, and pick up my items that wouldn't ship like I thought they would... I'm still mad about this... and if I don't get out on Tuesday, I may go on Wednesday... that's my favorite sale day at the Salvation Army -- but it is going down in desire.  I'm wondering if they will issue more of the coupons they had... that would work even better than the Wednesday sale for me.  :-) 

Until next time... 
Pray for all of us...

In Christ,
Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May our hearts and lives find their meaning in GOD and the salvation we have through Christ.
Our only hope for this world is Christ... search the Bible for the answers you need, pray for guidance, listen to GOD and not the call of Satan to do evil... both choices bring challenges, but GOD leads only to things that make your life better, happier, more worthwhile, and meaningful.  Find your peace and joy in GOD.  Amen.