Simple Living & Simple Faith

 (Crunchy Lemon & Poppyseed Muffins Recipe Below)

This video is a little different than usual as I have a bit less time to make them. But I hope it's a blessing to someone!

Crunchy Lemon & Poppyseed Muffins
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup poppyseeds
finely grated rind of 2 lemons

100g butter

 2 large eggs

1 cup milk

juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 200C. Measure the flour, sugar and poppyseeds into a large bow. Finely grate all the coloured rind from the lemons and add to the flour mixture. Heat the butter in a microwave dish or pot until just melted. Add the eggs and the milk and beat with a fork until everything is thoroughly combined. Tip the liquid into the dry ingredients and fold together until the flour is dampened. Do not beat till smooth.

Spoon mixture into 12 regular muffins pans.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until cooked. 

While muffins cook, squeeze the lemon juice and mix with the second amount of sugar.

Allow the muffins to cool in their pans for 3-4 minutes, then take them out and brush the lemon and sugar mixture over their entire surfaces. Cool on a rack.

My "Go to" Verses, Monks and Nuns etc.

In this video I share two of my "Go to" verses, a few simple living tips to keep from overwhelm, two parenting tips, a resource for children, a helpful movie, a new playlist, and a recipe.

Lemon Loaf 

(Double if you want 2 Loaves)
100g melted butter
2 eggs
2tblsp grated lemon rind

2tblsp lemon juice
13/4 cups white flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
 

Syrup for on top
1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup white sugar

Grease or line loaf tin. Preheat oven to 180C. Beat eggs and butter. Add lemon rind, lemon juice and sugar and beat until creamy. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix in with milk until combined. Pour into loaf tin and bake 45-55 minutes or until cooked. Mix together syrup ingredients. When loaf is cooked, take straight from the oven and while still hot pour the syrup over. Cool in the tin.

A character building story a little bit different this time. It is not just audio. I am reading it to my children with some of it acted out!

"I Don't Know About Tomorrow" Song

 

What We've Been Doing, Simple Living Tips, Fun Recipes etc.

 

Today I share a bit about our week with renovations, birthdays, cooking and fun at parks. I share the easiest chocolate cake recipe, a fun dessert to make, three simple living tips/thoughts, a simple chicken soup recipe and some lessons learned from dead ants, Lydia and dogs!

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe  here
Chicken and Corn Soup Recipe here

Motivate yourself, What to keep...

Today I share a tip on how to motivate yourself, a thought about asking, two delicious recipes, a look at our kitchen and what I'm learning through the renovations, two children's movies and a decluttering tip with a spiritual application.

 Chocolate Brownie Cookies Recipe

Carrot Cake Recipe

Three Recipes, a Simple Thought that Makes a Big Difference etc.

(Lemon Pudding Cake, Caramel Biscuits and Rice Pudding Recipes are below.)

In this video I share a frugal living tip and 3 recipes that relate to this tip--Lemon Pudding Cake, Caramel Biscuits and Slow Cooker Rice Pudding. I also share a simple living tip, a simple thought which has helped me with the stress of getting the children ready for school in the morning (but which applies to anyone in any situation), some photos that Johan took on his holiday last weekend and a few thoughts from the story of Sarah in the Bible. 

As I was typing out the Rice Pudding Recipe, I realized I wrote the wrong measurement for sugar on the video (2-3tblsp). The correct measurement is down below. (4-6tblsp)

Lemon Pudding Cake
8 eggs, separated

2/3 cup lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

2 tblsp butter, melted (30g)

3 cups of sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

3 cups milk

Preheat heat oven to 350F or 180C. Beat egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter. Combine sugar, flour and salt; add to egg mixture alternately with milk. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan. Set pan inside a larger pan of hot water in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

 (We like it best cold rather than warm.)

Caramel Biscuits

250g butter

1 tblsp golden syrup

1tsp vanilla

2tsp baking powder

2 cups cornflakes

13/4 cups sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup coconut

Cream butter and sugar, add golden syrup, egg and vanilla. Beat well and fold in flour, baking powder and baking soda. Lastly, add coconut and cornflakes. Roll into small balls, and press slightly. Bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes. (Cook less if you want more soft or less brown)

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding (Double)

1 cup short grain rice

6 cups milk

1/2 tsp salt

4-6 tblsp sugar (white or brown)

2 tsp vanilla

Turn the slowcooker onto low. Put the rice, milk and salt into the cooker bowl, cover and cook for 4 hours. The rice is cooked when you taste a few grains and find that they disintegrate when you rub them against the top of your mouth with your tongue. If you would like the rice softer, cook it for longer, up to another hour.

Turn off the slow cooker and lift out the bowl, sprinkle the rice with white or brown sugar and drizzle with the vanilla. Serve warm or chilled. (We like it chilled!)

Turn the slowcooker onto low. 

What I do on Fridays ...

 In this video I share a little about what I help my husband with on Fridays and what I've been learning through that. I also share a time management/simple living tip, a frugal living tip, a nice Christian movie and some challenging thoughts on prayer.

Lessons from Kids, Old Ladies and Stuff || Simple Living etc.

(Baked Oatmeal Recipe below)

On this video I share some thoughts I've been challenged this week--one to do with children and consistency and the other to do with old ladies! I also share different ways I've been using up the apple sauce I made last week, some simple living tips, what I got done on Saturday, a good lunch box recipe, a frugal living tip and what I found at the opp shop this last week.

Baked Oatmeal
2 eggs

1 cup sugar (I use a bit less)

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 cups oatmeal

1 cup milk

2 tsps baking powder

Pinch of salt

(I like to add a tsp of vanilla for flavour)

Preheat oven to 180C /350F. Combine eggs, sugar, and butter. Add oatmeal, milk, baking powder, and salt; stir until well blended. Pour into dish and bake for 30 minutes. Eat warm or cold with some milk.

Easy Meal Idea, Beautiful Poem, Being Unique...

 In this video I share an easy meal idea that we had for dinner last night, another helpful motto, three frugal living tips, one simple living tip, some thoughts about having courage to be unique and a beautiful poem from Streams in the Desert.

'The road is too rough,' I said; 

'It is uphill all the way; 

No flowers, but thorns instead;

And the skies over head are grey.'

But One took my hand at the entrance dim,

And sweet is the road that I walk with Him.

"The cross is too great,' I cried--

'More than the back can bear,

So rough and heavy and wide,

And nobody by to care.'

And One stooped softly and touched my hand:

'I know. I care. And I understand.'

"Then why do we fret and sigh;

Cross-bearers all we go:

But the road ends by-and-by

In the dearest place we know,

And every step in the journey we

May take in the Lord's own company.

My Favorite Motto, Swiss Dough Recipe, God Providing...

(Swiss Bread Dough Recipe below)

 On this video I share my favorite motto and a thought that goes along with that, two frugal living tips and what I found at the opp shops this past week, the Swiss dough recipe and what my children made with it over the holiday. I share two housecleaning tips and a story and sermon about God providing.

Swiss Bread  (Zupfe)
7 cups of white flour
1 tblsp salt

125g butter--melted

600ml milk

2-3 tblsp dried yeast or 7 tsp surebake yeast.

1 egg

Put flour and salt in large bowl and mix.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the milk and heat only to body temperature. 

Add the yeast to the warm milk.

Add the egg and mix well.

Pour the liquid over the flour, mix, then knead for 10 minutes.

Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let rise to twice the size.

Plait (if you want to plait it the swiss way) and bake at 200C for 45 minutes. Or make into buns and cook till done.

Fun with Pastry and Dough...

 

In this video I show what the children made with their pastry, another simple living tip, a frugal living tip and what I've been doing to make the most of what I have and a helpful Christian movie recommendation.

A Fun Holiday Idea, Simple and Frugal Living Tips...

 In this video, I share a fun idea for children, a frugal living tip with some ideas, two simple living tips, some thoughts about coping with the pain of living far from loved ones and a favorite sermon.

Easy Butter Chicken, Morning Routine, School Holidays Ideas...

 I'm not sure how this video got so long, considering I missed out half of what was on my list! But I share my favorite easy butter chicken recipe, some thoughts about seasons, my morning routine, a parenting tip, some school holiday ideas, one of my favorite movies and a few more things. I also share that the reason that I share these tips is because I know what it feels like to be behind and overwhelmed and I hope these tips might help someone else like they helped me. The last thing I want to do is make someone feel overwhelmed by watching these videos! 

Let's talk about Gardening, Clothes, Laundry, and Saving Money!

 We have just been away for Easter, so I planned to miss a video this week. But yesterday I had an unusual amount of energy and I got two days work done in one! So I was still able to do it.

In this video I share a gardening tip, a tip I find helpful with clothes and laundry, a Christian movie that someone else recommended to me, a way we save money, some photos/videos from our holiday and a few other things.

I hope you and your family have had a nice Easter reflecting on Jesus, the cross and the empty tomb!

A Helpful Organization Tip...

 Last year I got the idea to make more videos along the lines of what I share on here. Videos to share what I am learning or things that I find helpful etc. But I tried to forget about it, as I am much more comfortable with writing! However the idea won't go away, so I am going to give it a go.

On this video I give an introduction and share my motive and reasons why. I also share the kind of things I hope to make videos about. I love it when I hear helpful tips from other people and I believe strongly in sharing to help each other! In my case it's more of a need to share things. If I didn't have some way of sharing, I would burst or something! 

I do not think I know anything better than anyone else, I am just like a beggar telling other people where I found some food! Also, I get overwhelmed very easily and I've had plenty of times when I've been sick/pregnant and in survival mode. The last thing I want to do is to overwhelm someone else especially if they are going through a time of 'survival!'. So please take what's helpful and leave what's not!

It's Just Stuff...

    (Tips to keep from being overwhelmed #7 and #8)

7. It's Just Stuff

It can be very hard to not hang on to things unnecessarily! I find it helpful to remember that all those things are just stuff. Stuff. It's not human. It's not a member of the family. It doesn't have a soul. It's often replaceable. It's usually forgotten when it's out of sight. It will all be left behind when we die. It collects dust. It takes up space. It has to be looked after and maintained. It has the ability to affect our stress levels and
our mental health.

8. And then, seeing that stuff is just stuff, I Make a Choice. 

Would I rather have stuff or space? Would I rather have an easy to clean, tidy, peaceful home or one that is always overflowing with stuff that always needs tidying, organizing and rearranging? What would I rather have? Some people can have a lot of stuff and they manage to keep it clean, tidy, organized and a lovely place to be. I admire them! But for some of us like myself, it's one OR the other. It's heaps of stuff OR a clean tidy house. It's time to do things that are important to me OR it's endlessly trying to get on top of everything.

If you are overwhelmed or your home is not a place you enjoy being at, remember that stuff is just stuff! And then remember that you have a choice. What will you choose?

If You Make a Mistake...

   (Tips to keep from being overwhelmed #6)

6. If you make a mistake, there's usually a way around it.

Fear of making mistakes can keep us from getting rid of things we don't need anymore. We are afraid that in the future we will need what we got rid of. But I have found that for the few times I have made mistakes, there's usually a way round it. For example I threw out a picture that my son had made for someone. To me it looked like an old scrap of paper and I put it in a drawer that I put paper/cardboard in.( When it's full I dump it in the recycling bin. This works well because we don't have to run outside every time a scrap of paper needs to go in the rubbish, and also if we throw a piece a paper away by mistake, we can usually find it in the drawer.) But my son missed this picture and was trying to find it. He had made it for Grandma! And I couldn't find it in the drawer. I felt bad that I had thrown it out, but there was a way around it. I gave him some of my stickers and a blank card, and he made a much nicer card. He was happy!

Today I had a similar thing happen. I went to find a list of names and phone numbers that I use once a month to rsvp for a lunch we host. To my dismay this list had completely disappeared. I know I wouldn't have thrown this list away on purpose, but whatever happened, it is lost. I didn't know what to do. But since I had a separate list with just the names, I realized that I could look up the names in the phone book and I got most of the phone numbers there. There were two names I couldn't look up because I didn't have the last names. But one of those people rang up to see if the lunch was on and she gave me the phone number of the one lady whose number I still didn't have.

When you declutter, it is likely you'll make a mistake every now and then. But most likely it will be well worth it for all the unnecessary things you get rid of. I heard a lady say something like this, "For 100 things I decluttered I made a few mistakes. But it was worth rebuying a few small things to get rid of ALL those things I didn't need."

So don't let the fear of making a mistake keep your house full of clutter! Remember that if/when you make a mistake, there's usually a way around it. And most things you get rid of, you'll never think of again!

You Don't Have to Keep Things Forever

  (Tips to keep from being overwhelmed #5)

5. You don't have to keep things forever

For me the hardest thing to declutter is gifts. For some reason I feel like it's rude not to keep them forever. It feels wrong to give away something that was given to me. But I have learned that I don't have to keep gifts forever! People give me gifts to show their love. They don't give me gifts to fill up my house and make me stressed! So if gifts are no longer useful and have become more of a burden, then there is nothing wrong in passing them along for someone else to enjoy. It is the the love and thought that is the real gift.  So if I get given a gift that I can't use or I don't like, it doesn't matter, because it is the love behind it that is the real gift! Birthdays come around every year, and so does Christmas. If I keep every gift I'm ever given, I'll need a much bigger house! I LOVE to get given gifts, but if I feel like I have to keep every gift forever, then I start to dread gifts!

This lesson applies to everything really. I don't have to keep any object forever. If it is not useful to me anymore, there is no reason to hold onto it. I may aswell pass it along so it can be useful for someone else.

Ask "Do I Need it?" not "Could I Use it?"

  (Tips to keep from being overwhelmed #4)

4. Ask yourself "Do I need it?" instead of "Could I use it?"

A helpful thought that I heard is to ask yourself if you need something rather than if you could use it (when you are deciding whether to keep something or not). One of the reasons that our house gets filled up with so much stuff is that we think we may use it one day. If you keep every thing that you might be able to use, your house will stay full and cluttered. And most likely you will never use it because you will forget you have it and it will be buried under everything else! 

For example... a margarine container. Could I use it? Of course it could be used for something. But do I need it or do I already have enough containers?

A mug that I don't really like. Could I use it? Of course! But do I already have enough without it? Could I get along without it? Definitely. So why keep it?

A pot. Can I use it? Of course. Do I need it? A totally different question! If I don't need it, I don't need to keep it.

Just about anything can be used, so it you want to have a house that is not overwhelmingly full and unorganized, try asking this question. Such a simple thought but it can be life and house changing! For me I NEED an uncluttered 'easy to tidy' house, not a million bits and bobs!

Boundaries Are a Good Thing

 (Tips to keep from being overwhelmed #3)

3. Boundaries are a good thing

In our house there is not a lot of storage space. I have learned that this can be a good thing. I can only keep what fits in that space. It helps me to not keep everything. If I don't have enough space, I look for what I can get rid of. 

There are times when our space is simply too small. Especially if our family is growing or if we live in a very small space. But in general, it helps to look at boundaries in a positive light. One of our daughters has a very small room. Instead of complaining that it's so small, I can be thankful that a small room keeps her from hanging on to everything because it simply can't fit! She can only keep what fits in her room. If she had a bigger room, she would end up with way more stuff to try to keep tidy. The boundaries make the decisions for us.

So if you have limited space, look at it as a positive thing! Boundaries make decisions for you.

Tip #1 here Tip #2 here

We Need Less than We Think

 Tips to Keep From Being Overwhelmed #2

2. We need less than we think.

This is not always true. I remember my sister saying she hadn't realized how many clothes newborn babies go through in a day! She needed to get more for hers. But in general, we often think we need a lot more clothes, toys, linen, dishes etc. than we actually do.

For example, on most days I only wear one outfit. Two at the most.  So in the morning when I get dressed, I only need one outfit. There are only seven days in a week. There's only four weeks in a month.  When Lydia had complications after her heart surgery, I ended up in Starship hospital with only 2-3 changes of clothes.  I was surprised to find it was actually enough! While it's not practical to live with so few clothes (and I came home with a huge suitcase!), it showed me that I need less than I think.

Toys. We think the more toys we have, the more busy our children will be. Instead, the more toys, the more mess! The more toys the less time we have, because we are so busy trying to keep up with all the mess. I have cut down on the amount of toys we have and tried to stop buying so many toys. Because our kids really do not need or miss them. The less toys, the more creative they get and the less tidying they have to do. I was looking after children in our church's creche recently. A tub of toys had just been tidied up and put on the shelf. I watched as a little boy reached up and pulled them back down. He took off the lid, dumped them all over the ground and walked away. He never even played with them! I don't know what fun kids get from dumping toys, but they seem to have more fun dumping them than playing with them!

Linen. I donated about half of our towels, teatowels, and facecloths. I haven't missed them because we didn't need them all. But I love having cupboards that aren't overflowing.

If your house makes you feel overwhelmed as mine did, try having less. Ask yourself, how much do I actually need? If you're afraid you'll need things, just put them in a place out of sight and give it some time. If you don't have to pull them back out, you know you'll be safe! You will be surprised at how much you don't miss or need. You will also find that you have less stress and mess!