Delores Liesner
Activating Faith in everyday life
Simpledown Month Two
Yea – close to making it to end of Feb. without increasing debt. Making use of all the tidbits I’d previously popped in the freezer or pantry. Every day a container or 
two get re-created.
Other creative efforts to avoid shopping:
Coconut cream – add water and make coconut milk – use for curried coconut chicken, coconut rolls and smoothie base adding pineapple, ice and a few strawberries.
Huge commercial size can of tomato sauce – poured into muffin cups and froze in portioned servings. Use for Pita or English Muffin Pizzas, or sauce for stuffed Green Peppers.
Portions of veggies – create a quiche, fritatta, or stir fry with chicken broth and rice wine – add chicken chunks and voila! dinner’s ready in 8 minutes.
“Leftovers” – I so dislike that term – let’s say “Abundances” – meat, cubed or in food processor, veggies, chopped – sprinkle on grilled “Flats” – thin whole grain pitas – add mozerella or mexican cheese, fold over and cut in strips – Ken has welcomed quickie quesadillas to his short list of favorites. (I like to add spinach and onions)
Abundance Soup: Keep a 1-2 quart container with lid in freezer. Add any small portions of cooked vegetables. When filled make Chicken soup – adding stock saved from cooking whole chickens, or use pre-packaged containers of stock and chunks of canned or fresh chicken. For beef, I will cook a soup bone in vegetable juice, then add the vegetables or brown 1/2 pound hamburger with onion and celery, then add juice or broth, then thawed vegetables in last 5 minutes.
Re-reading books then removing at minimum 2 books either to paperbook swap (4 this week) or to box for rummage sale.
Going through a shelf or drawer a week and finding at least 1 bag of either clothing or household goods for annual church rummage sale.
“Shopping” in my house, basement and garage – for others who need items like Racine Freecycle, missions or needy individuals.
Re-using notes (I x off one side of page when done, turn over and replace clean side up in note paper box on desk), foil, etc.
But the most unexpected method sure to result in not shopping was agreeing that granddaughter Faith could be my ‘personal trainer’ – Oh my – when I suggested we start with stretching she brought out some DVD with 60-90 minute segments of exercise! Once I got up to walk again, I did feel better. Just kidding – you really do feel taller after 60 minutes of stretching – I wonder how tall I’d eventually get if every day’s stretch was cumulative…Today was Banish the Belly followed by back exercises with a ball. Tomorrow she says she’ll teach me what the “Core” really is… forget shopping… I want a nap.
Be the Miracle! – with journaling pages
Delores Liesner: Author
American Christian Fiction Writers Association
Delores Liesner 