I thought I'd write and tell you the amazing economy-beating idea I got today! Maybe some of you have already discovered this trick. Recently I purchased another one of those wonderful bone-in hams and cooked it in the crock pot with green beans and potatoes. After most of that was gone, I made another ham salad out of some of the leftover ham and cooked the bones again in the crock pot with pinto beans. After a meal of ham and beans and cornbread I got the bright idea to take what was left of that and make baked beans. Actually, Rhiannon put it together and baked it for me. We just added brown sugar, pepper, and ketchup to the leftover pinto beans and ham. She threw in a can of baked beans to make it a little fuller and then baked it! Very tasty and now we will not have to eat another meal of the same leftovers. The baked beans will be served with potato salad (reclaimed potatoes leftover from a side dish of boiled potatoes one evening) and hamburgers on the grill. Try it; you'll like it!

I have been really busy in the gardens and cleaning the house for the last two days. Today I dedicated my day to cleaning the downstairs as well as doing three loads of laundry. I got it all dried on the line and Rhiannon brought it in before the big rain hit. I was so glad for the rain since I'd been trying to weed the strawberries. After it rained two days ago, the weeding was easy. Tonight I was working out there and just one more day of drying out and it was just about impossible. I got a little more done just before it started raining. Clint was on the tractor trying to mow the lawn and only got a little accomplished before the rain ruined that project.

We made a flying trip to LaGrange late this afternoon to pick up re-prints of Emma's first year photo session! They are so cute. The great grandma's don't know it, but that's what they're getting for Mother's Day--shhh!! Stopped to visit a relative's birthday party on the way home and that's been our day. Oh, I did get a really nice, long walk in this morning after my devotions.

Did you attend any events for the National Day of Prayer yesterday? Clint and I went to the county fairgrounds and attended the evening service in which Clint took a small part. It was very nice and I can't think of a time when we as a nation (in my lifetime) were in more need of corporate prayer of the saints. It's time to humble ourselves and ask God to intervene in the hearts of men and women to turn us once again to His will. We are needing God's guidance on a number of levels in the life of this country. I hope you got a chance to participate. Actually, I hope you pray everyday for the nation and its leaders.

What's blooming in the garden? Well, we have crabapple trees, other flowering trees, a pink cup and saucer delphinium, a bleeding heart, several ground covers that I can't name-yellow, purple--plus phlox, lilacs, maltese crosses, Jacob's ladder, candytuft, daffodils, lilies of the valley, miniature irises, strawberries, violets, violas, dianthus, and forget-me-nots! It's quite pretty right now.

Thinking back to the economy beating strategies, I leave you with a challenging verse that has alot to do with spiritual things as well as material:

And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?" Luke 12:42 Blessings, LORI