5 things to help you through the holidays

December 12, 2017December 12, 2017 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again. You know the time of joy & peace & love. Also, of depression, uncertainty, & how in the world am I going to get this all doneness? But y’all. How do you make it through the holidays without the annual hair falling out conference (as I have attended for several years)? I have to keep myself psyched up & organized (to a degree, because who am I kidding?) Here are a few things that may help you combat the bah humbug syndrome.

Christy Jordan, over at Southern Plate, has the best printables to stay organized at Christmas. To see these click here.

If you need a good Southern recipe, she has that covered, too.

Whether you are eating, cooking, shopping, or just having a good ol’ fashioned meltdown for the holidays, remember to take a minute for yourself. This is priority. I have found that taking time to stop & study my Bible & spend time with the Lord COMFORTS ME SO. Here are some verses to consider during this time.

Good news! There’s hope in the Lord. No where else. Jesus came, lived, preached, & died on the cross for our sins. Because of this, we have forgiveness of sins & a home of heaven, if we are faithful. Proverbs 14:32 promises ³²The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. (KJV)
You know that meltdown I was talking about? That’s real. Many dread the holidays because of the fact so much has changed in their lives. Loved ones have gone on. Health problems may keep some from enjoying the holidays, as they always have. There may be family problems, money problems, or any kind of problem that makes a person feel helpless. However, the Lord comes right in with another promise- Matthew 11:28 ²⁸Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (NKJV)
Remember to trust. This was my “One Word” that I focused on this year. And let me tell you, it has really brought me through some tough times. Just knowing God is with me & that He will take care of all my insecurities. Psalm 46: 1-2God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;(NKJV)
How can you make it without love? Jesus says you can’t. That’s why in the scriptures He continually tries to drive home the message that we as humans need love. 1 John 4:11¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.(NKJV)
And last but not least, expectations are the devil. These kids expect costly electronics, name brand clothes & shoes, the latest gaming system with you know, the expensive games. All of that costs money, right? You know the money that’s so hard to come by. Make this season about love, joy, & peace. Let’s show our families that they are important. Because it doesn’t matter how fancy your house is, how new your car is, how much money is in the bank. If it costs you your soul, all is lost. Luke 9: 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (NKJV)

Y’all. Let’s make this Christmas what it’s supposed to be. Don’t let the burdens of expectations take a hold of you. Pray about it & then do your best with the situation you have. Ask others for help, if need be. Things tend to work themselves out. Don’t fret! I hope you are having a blessed week. I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: pinterest

And just like that, November was over & December scripture writing plan

December 1, 2016December 1, 2016 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

Hey y’all! I hope everyone had a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving. Ours was so good. We had family over & ate & ate & ate. But hey, it’s ok. We won’t have to do that again for another few weeks. Since I have made myself pretty scarce here lately, I will try to catch you up a bit on what’s been a happening.

Miss Neenee had a birthday. It has become more like a birthday week. It takes over & it’s hard to get rid of it.

Miss Neenee & Daddy

First we started out with Sunday lunch, for her birthday. When we said, “Eat”, of course Daddy was there!

Miss Neenee & Mr. Sweetie Pants

Mr. Sweetie Pants was so excited to give Miss Neenee her present.

He can be so sweet! No wonder I call him Mr. Sweetie Pants!

Then, on Friday night, some of her friends came for a little Escape Room fun.

Miss Neenee got one of those cute candy bar posters. Thus, this ended her birthday week. Along with Orange Danishes for breakfast on her birthday, cupcakes, presents, calls, texts, instagram messages, visits, & a sleepover.

My girls

Then, there was Thanksgiving. I just don’t know what I would do without these 2 girls in my life. As her custom, Livie spent the night with us on Thanksgiving Eve. We all had breakfast together the next morning. Which was a BLESSING. Because I love all these people to pieces, y’all.

I sure do love these faces BIG!

My nephew is in his 1st semester at Ole Miss. He’s got straight A’s, is in a fraternity, is living in the dorm, ~~is chasing girls,~~ making new friends, & did I say has straight A’s?? He’s a smarty pants alright. My sweet niece, Livie, is playing basketball, is sophomore class president, she’s active in her church, & is going to be 16 years old this month. She’s precious as the day is long. I was so glad they haven’t gotten too big to come hang out with their aunt.

My eldest daughter always makes something festive for occasions that arise throughout the year. This Thanksgiving, she made a turkey cheeseball. It was so good, too. She also made some chocolate covered pumpkin & cream cheese candy. I told her on Friday she needed to come get them, I was eating too many of them.

She said, “Eat them all, I don’t want to bring them home.”

Well, I must have taken that for some sort of commandment or something because I just about did. My middle daughter made chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter pies, & mashed potatoes. Which was also really good. Miss Neenee helped me cook everything else. She’s quite handy that way. We ate a lot & laughed a lot.

My people- JW, Livie, Bud, & Miss Neenee

Oh, I do have to tell you one more thing. You know we have these grandkids that are entertaining as the dickens. Well, not to be shown up, Daddy was in rare form at dinner. He went to a whole new level of hilarious. I promised him I wouldn’t share any pictures. But just think about this,

my 72 year old Daddy & Snapchat filters.

Could. Hardly. Contain. Myself. We laughed until we couldn’t laugh anymore. He looked like a deer in one, a panda bear in another, and I believe he had a rainbow spewing out of his mouth on the one we had to quit on. When my E.A. & him get together, there’s always trouble. And she was the one that provided the Snapchat filters for the entertainment.

Lastly, I didn’t want to forget the December scripture writing plan. Shannon at Sweet Blessings does such a wonderful job on these each month. So blessed that she lets me share these with y’all.

I hope y’all have had a great couple of weeks. We are looking forward to the next holiday, which is THIS MONTH. Miss Neenee & me put up the Christmas tree. I think it’s the earliest I have ever put it up. These grandbabies just make it so exciting! Yay Christmas!

While we were putting up the tree, Miss Neenee decided a cup of hot chocolate would be really nice. Doesn’t this look good? She fixed it all up herself & gave it to me. It was really rich & creamy & probably had no calories at all, since we were on a holiday & putting up the tree & having a good time. I hear calories don’t count at times like that.

Until next time, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

photo credit: http://www.swtblessings.com

A shout out to my favorite stores

March 25, 2015March 25, 2015 / kstrick7 / 2 Comments

I know Christmas is way over. However, I wanted to give a shout out to some remarkable merchants out there. Since I broke up with Wal-Mart or Walmart or Walmarts (as my Mamaw called it) my cash flow has been much more flowy-er. You can read about that here.

Just want to give a public & personal thank you to the following stores:

Kmart

Dollar Tree

Walgreens

Dollar General (which my Mamaw called the General Dollar Store)

Thank you, understanding merchants, for not having a maximum time you can visit your store, in a few days period. Thank you for allowing me to patronize your store every time, which seemed like I had just left your store, & then I remembered something I forgot. For the nine days I was off work at Christmas, I shopped just like it was my job. You allowed that. No questions asked. After I went back to work, one of your dear employees probably was chatting at break with a fellow coworker & said

“You know that lady we saw in here so much that one week during Christmas time? I have not seen her in a while.”

That’s because I have to face reality and go back to my real job. But thanks for not judging me.

And I can’t not say something about these folks without mentioning Kroger. Listen ya’ll, Kroger has been a life changer for me. They give you free stuff. Not just once or twice a year. Every. Single. Week. Just for shopping with them. They give you a free item every Friday. You just have to get online & download the freebie. When you check out, you give them your Kroger Card & it adds up on your ticket to be FREE. They also GIVE you in FREE UNITED STATES DOLLARS $.10 or $.20 off of each gallon of gas your purchase. That truly makes me weepy. I drove a gas guzzling Suburban for years. Only to trade into a Ford Focus that gets 75 miles to the gallon. Well, maybe not that much. But after spending my kid’s inheirtance on gas for that Suburban, it sure does seem that way. (Sorry kids. I know you thought you got all that shuttling around for free.)

And I can’t say something about Kroger without mentioning the lovely Katie at Kroger Krazy. That sweet girl just wants everybody to save money. If she lived closer to me, I know we would be tearing the Kroger store down together. Her blog is chocked full of life changing, game changing, deals. I love Kroger Krazy. Anybody that wants to do all the leg work for me, hey, we are friends for life. (Katie, you may or may not want to put out a restraining order on me right now, ha!) Seriously, this is a wonderful resource for anybody that want to save money.

My next new store to patronize & love is Dirt Cheap. Let me just say I bought a BUNCH of clothes for my Grand Baby Girl for not a lot in there. We are talking Target brand shirts for Dirt Cheap. EEEKK! I get happy all over again just thinking of it. And, too my daughter was a page for the Senate one year & got to meet the owner of Dirt Cheap. He was some sort of government official. He was a really nice man & held in high regard by his peers. I like doing business with nice people.

Some people may view my thriftiness as cheap. No, no, no. There is a difference. I seek out bargains, but will spend the big bucks when needed. As I get older, I realize, when it comes to my purchases, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. (Don’t get PETA after me. It’s just a Southern expression meaning there’s more than one way to do something.) With a little time & effort, you don’t have to pay full price for stuff. I do think it kinda my responsibility to take care of my home & the people there in. Just like the woman in Proverbs 31. I love this passage because I believe this is still a wonderful example laid out for us today.

Proverbs 31: 27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. (NKJV)

If you get the chance, reading the whole passage about the virtuous woman, will truly bless your heart. (Proverbs 31:10-31) It always inspires me to be better. I have been blessed to be acquainted with some of the most wonderful virtuous women ever. My Mama, Mamaw, Mama Boyce, & mother-in-law are the ones that come to mind. They all were wonderful examples that I try to pattern my life after. My Mamaw & mother-in-law would be tickled to death to see me saving money at the grocery store. They both LOVED a bargain.

Mamaw & Mama

I hope you have gotten some use out of this little blog post today. I know I love to shop. But I don’t think I have to spend ALL my money. Until there’s another sale at the dollar store, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: walgreens, dollar tree, dollar general, http://www.krogerkrazy.com , Kroger, Dirt Cheap

Merry Christmas from I should be washing clothes

December 25, 2014December 16, 2014 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

photo credit: BlogSpot.com

Merry Christmas ya’ll & a happy & healthy new year, too, from I should be washing clothes!

Christmas fun & how your taste in Christmas presents changes

December 20, 2014December 19, 2014 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

While reading over my favorite blogs, I thought, perhaps you all would enjoy some of the Christmas fun I have been reading about.

First is one of my faves: Christy Jordan’s Southern Plate. Not only does Christy share with us about delicious food, she gives ideas on how to have some Christmas fun. Click on the cookies to find out how you can do 25 free & inexpensive things for the best Christmas ever.

Next, there is so much going on over at I should be mopping the floor. Kristi has some adorable printables & ways to make your holidays less stressful. Just don’t be mad at me if you spend A LOT of time there.

Then, my other fav, who is always keepin’ it real over at Only a Breath. Melanie has announced she wants us to share reading the Bible in 2015. I know she would love having you all join in to study God’s word together. Just click on her messy kitchen to go to the blog post. (And by the way, this was after a night of at the last minute reindeer cookie making. I feel her pain.)

Now that I have shared some of my favorite blog stuff with you, I want to talk about how my taste in Christmas presents have changed. When I was younger of course it was toys, toys, & more toys! Then, as I became a teenager, it was a special piece of jewelry, clothes, or whatever it was everybody else was getting that year. As I got older & had kids & now grandkids -it’s hard to buy my Christmas present. Not that I am that hard to buy for. You see, what I want for Christmas has become something you can’t buy in a store. My kids will ask what I want, every year.

For the past several years, it’s been the same- nothing.

I just want them to take care of their own babies now. To make sure they get what they want. My Christmas present is my house full of people who I love & who love me. Being able to open up my house to the ones who are dearest to me is a wonderful feeling. In the past few years, people have become so much more important to me. I think it’s just something that tends to happen when you lose those who are very dear to you. Many of our loved ones have gone on & you start to really pay attention to the relationships you have. My mama loved a get together. I think I am getting more like her. I love eating together, laughing together, & watching them all be excited for the season. Seeing the little ones squeal & rip & romp through my house. Having enough food for everybody & then some. Being able to cook with my sweetie. That is what I want for Christmas. The feeling of contentment that right then, for a split second, my loved ones are fed, safe, & sound. There, for the moment, there is peace on my earth, that I live in. I wouldn’t take anything for all of that. Now show me how to bottle & sell that & we will be gazillionaires!

What are you doing for Christmas? Whatever it is, I hope you feel as blessed as I do. Not with what’s under the tree, but being grateful for your family, friends, & spiritual blessings. That’s what it’s all about anyway. Until next time, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

A little Christmas perspective from Calvin & Hobbes

The best gift you can give to your kids & how it’s never too late

December 17, 2014December 17, 2014 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

When I think of Christmas, I think of kids. I don’t know about you, but Christmas was always a special time at our house. Homemade cookies, candy, parties, toys, & family were the best memories I have. As a child growing up, I always had the security of a good family. I never knew what it was like to go to bed hungry or not know I was loved beyond belief. I was very blessed. It humbles me to know what a wonderful childhood I had. It could have very easily been another way. You don’t pick who you are born to. Thankfully, I was born to two precious people, who had a way with a feisty little girl.

At this time of year, I get to thinking about what would be the best presents, for my kids, at Christmas. What special memory can I give them about this time of year? I came across this article & wanted to share it with you. It is the best gift you can possibly give your children all year long.

We should conduct our homes so that children will remember:

Daddy & Mama were kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32).
Home was a happy place, governed by the law of love (Psalm 119:165).
Each child was treated fairly and required to obey his or her parents (Ephesians 6:1-4).
Sunday was a day of worship (Acts 20:7).
The Bible, God’s law, settled everything (Psalm 33:4).
Home was a place where friendships were dear, but truth was dearer (Proverbs 18:24, 23:23).
Although mama & daddy worked hard, they took time to read the Bible daily & pray (Hebrews 10:22).

There is still time for many of us to create good memories for our children & grandchildren. One of the best things I remember growing up, was how special church was to my family. At the church we went to, my Daddy was the preacher, my Mama a Sunday School teacher, my Papaw a song leader, who they also called on to pray & serve the Lord’s table, my Mamaw cooked for those in need, was at every service (with the rest of us), & loved our church family dearly. I had aunts, uncles, & cousins that were also serving the congregation. It’s funny, I never really thought of this being one of my Daddy’s jobs. It was just my life & I have been so blessed to have lived it. Me & my brother did have some requirements. (Some of which were perhaps a smidge challenging to an active/high spirited/could not keep her mouth shut/curious type child).

We were to be attentive.

We were to be dressed properly (hair combed, teeth brushed, & in our Sunday best).

We were to be cordial & kind to others.

And never, ever, ever were we allowed to go to the bathroom close to the end of Daddy’s sermon.

Doing this would possibly create a need to walk back to our seat while the invitation song was being sung. That was Daddy’s moment to help those that needed prayer, baptizing, or other spiritual assistance. My Mama was not going to interfere with one of her kids walking up through there, appearing to come forward. (We sat on the front bench.) So, she made sure we went to the restroom & got a brief drink from the water fountain in between Sunday School & Worship Service. I haven’t had to have therapy or counseling due to this, so I’m sure it was just an inconvenience we lived through. As a matter of fact, it taught us to watch what was going on & be aware of other people’s feelings. Not just a great memory, but good upbringing. Sometimes at church, I see kids & adults walking around during the invitation song. I’m like, “Wow, my Mama would have never had that.”

We may not have had the very best of everything life had to offer. But we had a stable, loving family. That’s what I strive to provide for my own kids & grandkids. Is it perfect? No, but they know they are loved & we are here to support them in all the ups & downs of life. That’s more memorable than any Ipad, Dr. Dre’s Beats, or 4 wheeler.***

I do hope you were raised with wonderful memories at Christmas. If not, it’s not too late to be the person who makes special memories for others. Children are a blessing from God. We should always treat them as such. That means not letting them by with everything in the book, teaching them to be respectful, & honest. However, that starts with us, first. My prayer today is that you will have the courage & braveness of heart to do right & good. Not just for others sake, but for your own, as well. I know of some adults, who as children, did not have a regal upbringing. However, now their parents have come around & taken care of their own problems. They have become wonderful grandparents & not to mention a great support to their kids. It’s never too late.

I hope you are having a wonderful & magical holiday season. We are ramping up for a big couple of days at our house. There will be family visiting, kids squealing in delight, & we will be cooking. A lot. It goes without saying, my usual New Year’s resolution of losing weight will be on my list. As for now, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

Mr. Sweetie Pants having his cake batter & banana, too- in his undies, nonetheless.

Mr. Sweetie Pants having his cake batter & banana, too- in his undies, no less. That’s how we roll.

photo credits: pinterest, Thomas Kincaid collection, & my trusty Iphone

Parts of this was taken from a House to House, Heart to Heart bulletin.

***On a side note, I am not trying to be disrespectful to those who buy expensive gifts for their kids. I am just saying all those things can break, be stolen, or wear out. The things you instill in your kids can never be taken away from them. Just a thought.

What is really necessary & holiday hair loss

December 10, 2014December 10, 2014 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

Today’s post is just as much for me as it is anybody. With it being such a hectic time of year, sometimes our time gets away with us. Things need to be done, trees are being trimmed, Christmas cookies & candies made, present bought, elves on the shelf are back with a vengeance, Christmas parties to attend, parades to watch, this list of things going on will run rampant if you let it. Then, along with the excitement of the season comes the daily things. You know the things that need doing no matter what. The dishes need washing, the clothes laundered, the floor swept, bathrooms cleaned, beds made, kids taken care of & with all the other Hoorah, sometimes, just sometimes our time with God slips by us. With all the stuff we have to do, there are times I fall into bed at night & barely get my prayers said before I am fast asleep. The next morning I think, I didn’t study my Bible yesterday. That’s not a good thing. So that brings me to this question, “What really is necessary?”

There was a lady in the Bible that got a wonderful lesson about what is necessary. There was a time Jesus went to visit with His sweet friends Mary & Martha. Now, I can imagine what a serious tiz I would be in if Jesus was coming to my house. I would be just like Martha. I would be running around trying to make sure everything was just right. Martha got caught up, just like I would, with things not really necessary.

Luke 10: 40

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”(NKJV)

Jesus did not tell Mary to get up & help her sister fix dinner or clear off the table, so they could eat. He was there to teach & fellowship with them. Not be concerned with things like is the floor vacuumed, dishes washed, and the throw pillows aligned properly on the couch.

Luke 10:41-42

And Jesus^[l] answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴²But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”(NKJV)

Jesus was trying to tell Martha what was necessary. Serving him in a physical, earthly way was not that important to Him right then. He wanted her to sit with Him & her sister & listen to what He had to say. That is what was necessary. When my Daddy drops by my house unannounced, there are times it may appear there has been cyclonic activity happening inside my home. I always start out apologizing for things being in a mess. His response is always the same, “I came to see you, not your house.” I think this is what message Jesus was trying to drive home to Mary & Martha. When you get so busy doing stuff, that you don’t have time for God, you have to be reminded. Is this “stuff” really necessary?

While it’s Christmas time or anytime let’s make sure we don’t overdo ourselves on the unnecessary, that we neglect the necessary. At the end of our time, will it matter that no dirty dishes were left in the sink or that we took that time to sit down & study God’s words & spend time with the Lord? I’m not saying don’t clean your house. I’m saying make your time with God a priority. I do want to share with you one thing I try to do. I have a Bible app on my phone. When I am in my car, I turn that thing on. If I don’t have anything specific I want to listen to, I will put it on Matthew 5. This starts the sermon on the mount. I love hearing the words of Jesus. Something in that sermon seems to always be what I need to hear. It just makes my day go better. It helps me to remember what is really necessary.

I am so glad you came by to visit with me today. There are a lot of things we have going on for the holidays. Parties, get togethers, cooking, baking & Christmas shopping. Gracia, our elf on the shelf, is just everywhere this year. She’s a busy little elf for Santa, that’s for sure. I hope you have a plan for your holiday. Me, not so much. Thus, the falling out of my hair. Which I hardly notice for my queasy stomach & frequent heartburn. You see, I’m an off the cuff type of gal. Let me tell you, Christmas at my house is not an off the cuff kind of holiday. There’s lots of preparation. And I have a big family. No pressure. Anyway, I hope all of you are having a blessed week. I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: honeynfizz.blogspot, newyorksightseeingtours.wordpress.com, shereadstruth.bigcartel.com

Merry Christmas from I should be washing clothes

December 25, 2013December 25, 2013 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

photo credit-etsy

Merry Christmas ya’ll from I should be washing clothes.

High Five for Friday

December 21, 2012December 21, 2012 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

I have missed doing a High Five for Friday- for a couple of weeks. So glad to be back with everyone celebrating Friday! For starters, I hope everyone is having a great holiday season. Ours has been wonderful so far. One of the things we have been doing for the past few years is going to see Disney on Ice. My favorite is Tinkerbell!

Miss Neenee had a dance recital Saturday. She had such a good time performing. It was a fun day for her!

Dancing Divas

In light of Christmas, we were in a couple of Christmas parades. Here is one with Miss Neenee’s dance company. They are getting ready to go!

We made Christmas cookies this week! So much fun!

Our Elf on the Shelf, Gracia, did not feel too welcome the 1st night at our house. The duck is holding a sign that says, “Go home! This is our house!” Gracia had a better week, though. She left a note today saying we were all on the nice list. I just hope it stays that way!

Happy Friday everyone! I will be linking in with Lauren From My Grey Desk. She has the BEST link party every Friday. Have a great weekend! I will be doing a bit more Christmas shopping. Even though, Lord knows, I have more clothes to wash than ever! What are you doing this weekend??

Where your treasures are……

December 5, 2012December 5, 2012 / kstrick7 / 4 Comments

II Corinthians 12:7-10

When my mother was in the last stages of Multiple Sclerosis, she used to call my Dad to her bedside. “Pray for me.” She would say, “I am so tired, I just want to go.” My Daddy would pray for her, then he would try to lighten the mood. He would tell her that her illness was helping her to lay up treasures in heaven. That by her being sick, it was allowing others to do good deeds for her. And by that, she was allowing God to work through her. He would tell her, God even allowed the Apostle Paul to have a thorn in the flesh.

II Corinthians 12: 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

With that she would reason, if God wanted her to have this disease, He would take care of her. Just as Paul reasoned in

II Cor 12: 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

At this point in the conversation, my mama would tell Daddy “Then, go lay up some treasures in heaven & get me some ice cream!”

We never know what God has in store for our lives. However, we know where to turn when the storms of life get rough. He is the one & only hope that we have. During the holidays I miss my mama more than ever. But I do find comfort in knowing what a strong faith she had. At this time of the year, let us remember, with thanksgiving & hope the wonderful blessings God has given us, no matter what our circumstances. Christmas is a time of giving. We should be mindful that the giving of ourselves, for the work of the Lord, is most important.

I have loved having you stop by & visit today. Please come back again soon. I have to be going now because I should be washing clothes…..