Home Ec·o·nom·ics

Home Ec·o·nom·ics: noun - Cooking and other aspects of household management, esp. as taught at school

Home /hōm/ adverb - 1. To the place where one lives 2. In or at the place where one lives 3. To the end or conclusion of a race or something difficult 4. To or toward home plate 5. To the intended or correct position

Ec·o·nom·ics /ˌekəˈnämiks/ /ˌēkə-/ noun - 1. The branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth 2. The condition of a region or group as regards material prosperity

So recently I offered to teach my 'little Sister' Kristen how to make homemade chicken soup from scratch... Which spawned an inquiry that... Well... Made my day and inspired a new found passion. Kristen asked if I would be interested in teaching her and maybe one or two other home school students a Home Economics class. This has inspired me to really apply myself even more to learn how God wants us to run a household and how to best train others how to manage a home God's Way!

It makes me wish I would have taken that Marriage and Family Class from the McWilliams at CFNI that my brother still rants and raves about. But besides that I am very excited about the opportunity... Even though right now it is only a possibility! This is a passion I have had for some time now. I remember when I first started at CFNI I found that allot of young ladies my age never had the opportunity to learn even the basics of cooking, cleaning, budgeting and things like that... Those are just a few things that a good Home Ec course should cover. So I am currently delving into great biblical teaching taught by Devi Titus & Larry Burkett. If you have any great resources I am putting a request out to all my friends please feel free to message me or post info in comments or on my wall!

God Bless!

Alicia Zinn

A life...

One life can change the course of... Well... everything. Many of us forget how significant one life can be. I could tell you right now that if one human interaction in my life had not been there no matter how insignificant it may have seemed. The course of my life would not have remained the same. I often find myself thinking of how significant each life can be when I hear of the loss of life. Last night it was reported that a man, Osama bin Laden, had lost his life. The truth of the matter is if his name had not been mentioned in association with the tragedy of September 11, 2001 none of us would even know his name. I know that on occasion I have found myself just as guilty as the next guy feeling that he deserved it or that he had it coming after what he did. But the only way that justice can be found is not in retaliation... no matter how good we think we will feel after the fact... But rather in Redemption!

It is the only answer that God ever planned on having! Even from the very beginning. God never intended for us to have to live in a world where death even existed! But as soon as things changed He still had a plan but His plan did not include sticking it to the one that started this whole thing. Because we as created beings are unable in our own power to live beyond the created world beyond death we are powerless on our own. He knew from the beginning that if things were going to make a turn for the worst He being the Creator of Life would have to sacrifice His own life in order to conquer death. God had a plan to redeem EVERY man! His desire is that we are ALL redeemed! Even those that our finite minds believe are beyond or undeserving of redemption. Such as a man that many Americans hold responsible for the death of thousands. Our justice system is built upon the understanding that every American is by there constitutional rights Innocent until Proven Guilty. My understanding of the Word of God is quite the opposite as far as sin is concerned well everyman is really Guilty! No questions asked... But that isn't it... We do in fact get a trial... We have one choice before that trial which comes at death... We can choose to represent ourself or to let an Advocate take our case. This Advocate is available to everyman. His name is Jesus. He has already pled Guilty. He even paid the only price of sin which is death. But having lived without sin the laws of death had no hold on Him. He conquered death so that in the end if we have chosen Jesus as our Advocate. When the Judge sees that we are represented by Jesus. The Judge will Move for a dismissal of all charges because the price has already been paid!

But the thing about that is to remember is that even the worst of us... Terrorists, Serial Killers, Rapists, Occult Leaders and So on... Jesus paid for those sins too. Because when God looks at us He doesn't see what we have done but rather He sees us for Who we are in Jesus! Redeemed with a clean slate. A little reminder to Christians out there who are religious about the Law. We don't live by the Law because we need to live within these parameters to stay clean. We live life in a way that brings honor to the name we have chosen to represent in our faith... It's not about rules or laws. It's about doing the right thing cause well its right. Not because we don't want to do the wrong thing.

All this to say One life... A single life can make all the difference in the world!

I love Y'all!
Alicia Zinn

An Unexpected turn...

Life is full of unexpected changes... Especially when you are on a journey towards the future... Mine has journey has recently taken an unexpected turn and I am looking forward to what the Lord is doing in my life... For those of you who haven't heard from me or through the grapevine I have news... Due to a recent cutback in hours at my current job I have come to the realization that in this small town a full-time job means anything over 20 hours... I have been barely scraping by on 32 hours a week at my job and after my trip home to NC I came back to be informed by my boss that my hours were to be cut back to as little as 25 hours a week. Upon receiving this news I promptly informed my boss that there is no way I can survive on less hours and that if this was going to be the case she should expect my notice soon... I had been praying about several possibilities that I had in front of me... I could get a second job and continue to strain to make ends meet... I could quit and try and find another full time job in town and hope its enough to continue living somewhere I honestly cant afford to live... Or consider and option that was offered to me a few months ago that I had been thinking about for a while... In Dec before my lease was up My father open handedly presented me with an offer... I could pack up all my furniture and things into storage and pack my car up with my clothes and things I need to live and move back home to live with them and get a job in Charlotte where Full-time means at least 40 hours a week and jobs are a bit more plentiful... And then when the grant comes through and Wild Fire is ready for me then I can pack back up and move back to Texas... At the time things were going pretty well and I was keeping my head above water... But January saw a turn around in my job and financial situation and I could see that the Lord was moving some of the Wild Fire Staff into new places... After allot of prayer and a two and a half hour conversation with Toni Hellums... I realized that the wise thing for me to do right now was to move home for a season... So in about three weeks my mother will be flying down to Texas to ride with me back home to NC... I want to thank everyone who has been praying for me through this season... I am so thankful for the people the Lord has placed in my life!

God Bless y'all! Alicia

Father Knows Best

Several years back... actually more like 15 years ago... We won a few CD's in a contest from the local Chirstian music station and when we went by to pick them up on if them was a CD by a somewhat unknown artist named Jeni Varnadeau... My mother loved the title song of her album 'Colors of Truth' so it was one of the 5 CD's we choose to take home with us. There are several songs on that CD that still speak to me. But one the Lord has used allot to speak to me in the last few days is called Father knows best. I attached a player that should let you listen to it! The song speaks of a young lady who has been looking for a string of pearls the fake kind would do for her and her father give her the fake kind for her birthday and she wears them with pride and honor knowing that her father loves her and knows best. Then the next year for her birthday asks her to surrenderer the pearls she cherishes so much to him. though hesitant she does so and upon submitting them he hands her a string of real pearls. I have found myself in a place of surrendering many things I cherish to the My Father in heaven. Recently I have started learning how to use a camera that I had purchased as an investment into my photography business it is a crossover DSLR and from what I have been told a decently well known name although I had never heard of it and they actually no longer make cameras... And The more time I have invested in learning how to use it the more I have learned to love it. Now I have become rather attached to my well 'Fill in till I can afford a Nikon' camera (or my Fake string of Pearls!). After purchasing the camera for $100 I priced it on Amazon for Kicks... New one runs over $800 the lowest price used was $250! Wow I had been blessed with a great deal! A few months after I purchased it I hit one of my hardest financial times and decided to try and sell some stuff on Amazon. I posted it as well as some various DVD sets online. At that time the lowest used was posted at $300 and didn't come with the extra memory card and some of the other accessories were missing so I posted mine at $350... Since then I have sold the DVD's I posted but it has been a few months since then... About a month or so I started really investing my time in learning how to use it to the extent of asking for and receiving a larger memory card for it for Christmas ... In all honesty I had completely forgotten that I had posted it online to sell until yesterday when I got the email that said it was sold! So last night I packed up my Camera and sent it to someone in California who I hope will very much enjoy his "Like New" Camera. I am now out one fake string of pearls (The Camera) and richer in wisdom and a few hundred bucks which goes to saving. Lord just so its said I wouldn't mind a Nikon D90 or better(my version of a Real string of Pearls)!

God bless!
Alicia Zinn

Turning over a new leaf...

This phrase always confused me... Turning over a new leaf only reviles the other side of a leaf. It is still the same leaf just the other side. When the phrase is used though it is really saying I am turning a new page in this book. Now that makes scene it is like starting a new chapter but rather just simply turning the page in your book of life to reveal a little more of the story. As a reader and writer. This is a concept I can not only wrap my mind around but also a point from which to launch. I am hoping to post a new blog about the "New Leaf" in my life! God Bless! Alicia

Content

adjective - satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

Philippians 4:10-20 (English Standard Version)

God’s Provision

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:25-35 (English Standard Version)

Do Not Be Anxious

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

The High Calling by Gordon Lindsay

If God has called you to be really like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it. If you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, their work, their success, or their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin it, He will lead you into such deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money or having a legacy left to them or in having luxuries. But God may supply you daily because He wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him, that He may have the privilege of providing your needs day by day out of the unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward but keep you hidden away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God will let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing. Then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you. God will take you at your word; and if you absolutely will yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say. Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit. Also that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue or chaining your hand or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.

Now when you are so possessed with the loving God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.