High Cost of Milk

Good Grief!!! Milk costs what now!!!

I cannot believe I am paying over $4 for a gallon of milk. I think it's time to buy a cow. Or...maybe there are other solutions. I have been able to find it under $4 by going to places like Dollar General and Family Dollar, you have to shop around to find the best prices but if everyone goes to the same place does the demand for more milk increase the price (economics 101)?

With cost aside, milk is a necessity in life. Milk gives us certain vitamins for healthy bones and teeth. I read an article recently that list 3 reasons all people, of any age, need to drink milk.
3 Benefits to Drinking Milk Daily

1) It reduces risk of some diseases like colon cancer, osteoporosis, as well as hypertension.
2) It builds strong bones and teeth.
3) Milk helps you sleep.

The article says even when you are lactose intolerant you can find milk product that helps you to still have the milk you need daily in your life, but I think that costs even more. :(

Now that we know some of the benefits to drinking milk, how do we get past the cost of milk? As I said earlier, shopping around is helpful, I shop around my area for the best prices for everything. Another option is one my mother did when I was a kid while living in a high inflation period. She used to buy powdered milk.

She would take a gallon of whole milk and she would pour half, or sometimes thirds, into other containers. Then she would make a few quarts of powdered milk and add to the whole milk. This gave us a 2% or 1% taste of milk. We never knew the difference but it always helped her to stretch her budget money. She was a single mom working long hours to make ends meet and this was a solution to her problem. I thought it was a brilliant idea to saving dollars and still getting the vitamins you need.

I just recently read an article that asked the question about powdered milk being bad for you. I've attached it here for you to read for yourself.
Is Powdered Milk Bad for You?

Lets look at the cost of Instant Non-fat dried milk:

Walmart Brand $7.78 for 25.6 oz
Shelf Reliance $21.19 for 3.38 lbs
Ebay (variety of product) $47.50 for 10lbs

There are a variety of places you can find the product, you have to shop for what is best for you and your family. Here are some tips that can be helpful.

Powdered Milk Storage Tips

Saving Money with Powdered Milk

The shelf life of the dry milk product varies but average is about 8-10 years.
Shelf Life of Dry Milk

If you are someone like me then you want to be prepared for times of high cost in foods, or disaster; having an option for milk on hand is comforting. We use milk in preparation of many foods daily, using powdered milk as a substitute can also save money. So drink the regular stuff and use dry milk for cooking.

I hope this information is helpful, I know it was for me in my research process. I would love to hear more about your use of powdered milk or creative ways you saved money using powdered milk.

Simple Knowledge

Genesis 1:26-27
"And God said, Let ^aus ^bmake ^cman in our ^dimage, after our^elikeness: and let them have ^fdominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own ^aimage, in the image of God created he him; male and ^bfemale created he them."

These verses are simply said and quite clear on a few issues that seem to plague mankind. 

1) God said let us make man in our image. Here we see that there was more than one person involved in the creation of man, meaning the Godhead, which consists of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ,and the Holy Ghost. The information about who is part of the Godhead is found later in the scriptures. The point here is there is more than one was involved.

2) This verse also says that we were created in God's image and likeness, not an ape's or anything else's image. They created us to be like them. That makes us special.

3) This verse says that we, mankind, are to have dominion over everything on the earth and the earth included. What does dominion mean? It means responsibility, not dominance over things. We are to take care of the earth and it's inhabitants the best we can. 

4) God created male and female for a purpose, to be together as man and wife; to help one another through life. That's how our obedience to procreate works, it takes a man and a woman. That's simple.

God's wisdom is so much greater than ours. When we try to make sense of things from our point of view, we find  it hard to see things from His. 

As righteous women we need to stand up for what we know if truth and good. This world has too much man's wisdom and not enough of God's. When we listen to man we get confused, when we listen to the Spirit of God it becomes clear again, simple knowledge.

All things created by Him

It amazes me when people have no clue that all things were created by God. Everything in nature teaches principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nature is a witness of a Creator, not just hap-instance.

Yesterday, my family and I were outside cutting down vines that had grown a lot, over the summer, on the fence. It had been a few years since we had tamed this area of the yard so there was a lot of growth happening. Also, when it rains the dirt in the driveway flows out the back gate into the cu-de-sac so we had to shovel the dirt back into the driveway as well.



I started to walk out the back gate to shovel and it seemed that the vine grabbed at my leg and wouldn't let go, I almost fell because it had a hold on my pants. I imagined that it was pleading with me to not cut it down. But I told it that I was commanded by God to have dominion over and subdue the earth. Some time ago I had looked up the word subdue and found it meant control. So I told the vine I needed to have some control since it was over grown there. I don't think it was so happy about my decision, but it did let go.

As I began pulling the vines off the fence I found some parts of it that held on so tightly that it was impossible to pull it free. When I looked to see what held it there I witnessed small vines which had wrapped itself around the fence several times. I asked the vine, "How did you know how to do that?" It didn't answer me but it amazed me that the only way I could break it loose was to cut the small vine with pruning shears.

I began to realize that it was actually a witness to me that it was doing what God had commanded it to do. It was growing and hanging on to life the best it could. I thought of the many different life lessons we could learn from this vine. I was sad to cut it away because it was teaching me things but it needed to be done, which is another life lesson for another day.

I wonder so often how people can deny the existence of God as they view his creations. I want to testify that God is real, and everything here was created by His hand. We are all His creations, we belong to Him. All living things have a spirit and are obedient to Him, except the greatest creation in the world, the children of God.

But God knew we would be defiant and that is why we needed a Savior, to die for our shortcomings and sins. I am ever grateful for Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. I am also grateful for the life's lessons that we get from nature. I feel so much closer to God when I commune with nature because we are all His creations. And, I know he loves us and has provided a plan back to him if only we will open our eyes and learn from everything he has given us. I am forever grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ.