Free Bible Study Software

Since we’re heading into the Christmas season, I thought you might like to know about this free piece of software for PC or Mac users. It’s called Bible Explorer and is a sweet study tool. It comes with over 200 free Bibles, commentaries, dictionaries, and more.The software includes the American Standard Version (ASV), New International Version (NIV), New American Standard Bible (NASB) Bundle, King James Version (KJV), and the Bible in Basic English (BBE), just to list a few.

It doesn’t matter whether you follow the Catholic, Church of Christ, Dispensational, Lutheran, Mainline, Pentecostal, Puritan, Reformed, or Wesleyan doctrine, there is study material to help you out. There are also study aids written from Jewish Christian perspectives.

Part of the broad range appeal is due to the special libraries you can add according to your needs. For example, there is a library for preachers and discipleships, etc .

Go to BibleExplorer.com to get this free download.

Organizing Your Refrigerator

Organizing your refrigerator shelves can help to keep things orderly so you can find what you need and know what you have.

In addition to regular cleaning of your refrigerator (a couple of times a year) an organized fridge can prevent food mishaps and spoilage.

Know which areas of your fridge are best for specific foods: Store meats and eggs on the bottom shelves where it is colder and chance of contamination will be less. Use the door for items least likely to spoil like your condiments and juices.

Keep apples away from your veggies as they give off a gas that can make your vegetables go bad faster.

Use an onion keeper for a cut onion.

Store things like olive oil, maple syrup, and flour in the fridge after opening (flour should be put in there before opening).

Use small plastic (washable) baskets and tubs to organize like items. This works very well for condiments and small containers that would otherwise get lost. Don't overspend on these you can pick up many at the dollar store.

Label your leftovers. There are ways to deal with them but eventually one or two may have to be tossed. Know what you have and it makes it much easier to utilize them. Use a roll of masking tape and just write on there what the leftover is and what day you put it in the fridge).

Keep all of your leftovers on a particular shelf. Enough said. You can always see if this shelf is becoming overly burdened and take action.

Toss old food and check what you have in the refrigerator before making your grocery list. I shop on Thursday so I toss and make a list on Wednesday.

Have a specific section of the fridge for snack foods. That way the family knows where to look when they need a quick bite to eat.

Use the same organizing tips for your freezer. Most often a smaller space than the refrigerator we can also benefit from organizing the freezer space to make meal preparation easier.

Here’s an interesting picture of thoughtful recycling….a coat rack made of old shoes!

Serving Wine with Your Turkey?

It's 3 days until Thanksgiving! For the next few days I will be posting a quick tip to make your holiday a little easier. Here's the fifth one:


If your guests prefer their wines on the sweet side, White Zinfandel is the all-purpose favorite to go with most of your turkey feast.


If red wines are normally your favorite, Pinot Noir is the perfect red wine for holiday feasting. More robust than white wine, Pinot Noir has very little tannin and will likely blend well with the entire holiday meal. Serve it slightly chilled.

If you and your guests prefer dry white wines, dry and Chardonnay is the favorite choice with turkey depending on the particular tastes of your family and guests. Sauvignon Blanc or a White Burgundy are also good all-around choices that pair well with everything.

Finally if sparkling wines are your favorite, may we suggest another white wine that's sure to put family and guests in a holiday mood. How about your favorite champagne?

Here's a Head Start on the Black Friday Sales!

Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) is the busiest shopping day of the year—smart shoppers will stand in line before the store open to grab the exceptional bargains. Sometimes items are limited to whatever amount the store was able to obtain, so it is imperative to be towards the front of the line when the store opens. Stores usually open at 5 or 6 am (yikes!), so often you will see lines starting in the wee hours of the morning. (I did it once, never again!)

The ads are published in the newspaper on Thanksgiving day—my daughters will pour over the various store flyers (while their husbands watch football) Thanksgiving afternoon, and plan their strategies for shopping the next morning.

But here’s a head start for you—I found an online version of many of the Black Friday Ads! Go to TGIBlackFriday.com where you can look through ads for Walmart, Kmart, Best Buy, Home Depot, Penney’s, Kohls, ToysRUs, Sears, and Target.

Thanksgiving Tip #4

It's 4 days until Thanksgiving! For the next few days I will be posting a quick tip to make your holiday a little easier. Here's the fourth one:



At lunch today a friend told me how to soak your turkey ahead of time in a salt & sugar brine to make it come out golden brown and taste delicious.



Make the brine with 1 1/2 gallons of water to cover the turkey in the bucket, stockpot, or whatever is large enough to hole the bird. A larger container may require more water. Just remember the ratio -- 1 cup kosher salt (and 2/3 cup sugar) per gallon of water -- and increase accordingly. Don't worry if a bit of the turkey is not submerged. Just place the turkey, breast down, in the water, and let part of the back sit above the water. Sugar is optional, but she said it helps the bird brown beautifully.


Mix salt, optional sugar and 1 1/2 gallons of cold water in a clean bucket or stockpot large enough to hold the turkey. Add turkey; refrigerate 12-15 hours. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.


Roast your turkey as you normally would. Let rest 30 minutes after taking out of the oven and slicing.

Thanksgiving Tip #3

It's 5 days until Thanksgiving! For the next few days I will be posting a quick tip to make your holiday a little easier. Here's the third one:

A pretty centerpiece adds a nice touch to any table. For a frugal Thanksgiving, you can make one at very little cost with things found in nature. Mini pumpkins, squash and other fall veggies can be arranged with some nuts to make a yummy centerpiece. If you want, you could find an inexpensive cornucopia at your local craft store and put these items in it.



Fall flowers also make wonderful centerpieces. If you grow your own, simply pick some in various colors and arrange them in a vase. You’ll have a beautiful, fragrant centerpiece at no cost whatsoever.