There are some skeptics out there who don't think couponing is worth it. Perhaps it isn't worth it to them in terms of time or energy, but one can't deny that it yields awesome returns financially!!!
I finally got with the times and started doing my Walgreens rebate stuff online. It takes just a few minutes and saves a stamp! In doing so, I noticed that they had my whole history of rebates listed. I began couponing in Sep. of 2007. So.....here is the grand total folks............... (drumroll....).............
From Sep of 2007-Sep of 2008 we have gotten $228.15 worth of FREE STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Our total was $258.15 but I subtracted the inital $30 I spent on rebate stuff to get the ball rolling).
This is only including the free-after-rebate items! Keep in mind also that there were a couple of months I didn't get any FAB stuff because the deals weren't that good or we couldn't use the items!
I am guessing that we have gotten at least $200 worth of freebies in the last year through register rewards deals too! Then there are the times we used coupons on rebate items or register reward items and GOT PAID to buy stuff. Then there are the things that I have gotten free or for pennies that were clearance items I used coupons on! Then there are the $5 off coupons they routinely give out on the internet. Then there are the amazing sales they have where diapers are about $2 a package......
....Ahhh. So many deals at Walgreens.
I have no idea how much money we've made off of Walgreens but I do know that shopping there has majorly paid off for our family!
*Due to the fact that I was new to couponing and rebate stuff, I had a couple of times where I made blunders, such as forgetting to turn my rebate in on time (thus having to pay $3 total for a package of gel pens and a box of washable markers instead of getting them totally free) or submitting the receipt wrong and not getting a rebate. But in spite of those blunders, I still got the product I paid for (just didn't get it free) and it was only a couple of times this happened to me. I know I didn't lose more than $20 this whole year doing couponing. Yes, it can be slightly risky to coupon, but a $20 loss to $400 worth of free stuff is worth it!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Letters of Love
Who says the romance has to die just because we have lots of small children?
My hubby always leaves me fun messages with the bath letters!
Deals of the Week
All of the above at Walgreens this week for $11 and that's WITHOUT using any manufacter's coupons because I didn't buy the newspaper during Sept.4 large Dove bars
4 large Softsoap body washes
3 bottles of Children's Tylenol
1 package of L'Oreal Cleanser wipes
2 Lypsyl Beeswax chapsticks
2 packages tissues
1 Crossaction toothbrush
I love Walgreens! It would have cost me $11 alone for 2 bottles of Children's Tylenol here in town!
I haven't been posting many of my Safeway deals recently but lately I've been getting some freebies by using catalinas that print off every time I pay. For example, I often get Mom to Mom catalinas for $2 off a Mom to Mom product, making a pack of wipes FREE! This week we got a pasta sauce catalina that should give us a jar of Classico sauce free, or almost free.
At the other local grocery store there aren't nearly as many sales or good deals but they are having a case lot sale with some pretty cheap canned goods and baking supplies so I stocked up a bit. They also are doing some grocery give-aways and one time when I went through the line a timer dinged and I got to pick a free item off the table. I was in the mood for hot cocoa and there was a box on the table, but I forced myself to pick the healthiest thing, which was also the priciest thing (making it the best deal too): a container of old-fashioned oats. They also have the Turkey Card starting up where if you spend so much money in the next two months at their store you can get turkeys for 35 cents (or as low as 15 cents) a pound. Last year I combined my mom's card and mine and we got a couple of turkeys for hardly anything!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Cool Baby Gift
I had to show one of the neatest gifts Justus received. My friend Laura had this wooden block (about 3 inches high) made for him with all the statistics of his birth, initials, etc.
I blocked out the last name for security reasons.
Delicious Zucchinni Brownies
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 eggs
Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oil,eggs, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.
Frugal Food for Others
Sometimes it can be challenging to know what to give another family when you are taking them a meal. It can also be pretty spendy too! At the beginning of the week I wanted to take a new friend a meal as she is struggling with morning sickness and has 3 small children, one of whom she has started homeschooling this year. I knew we couldn't afford to spend a bundle but I wanted to take a variety of food to bless them. So, this is what I ended up taking:
Vegetable Barley Soup with Hamburger in it-Made from stuff I had in the pantry and frozen veggies I had stocked up and cooked hamburger I had frozen before the baby came
Cost Estimate--$2 for a large bowl
Best-Ever Oatmeal Brown Bread-A new recipe from my Whole Grains cookbook that my family loves. It's quick and easy to make and very nutritious. The recipe will be featured soon on my blog.
Cost Estimate--$1-$1.50
Jello with Pineapple
Cost Estimate--$0.75
Green Leaf Lettuce (washed and bagged)
$1
New Bottle of Wishbone Dressing
Free thanks to couponing at Safeway!
Plate of Double Chocolate Oatie Cookies
$1
Small ziploc bag of oyster crackers
$0.12 thanks to a clearance mark-down
So, for approximately $6.50, the cost of an icky meal at Cholesterol Factory (aka fast food) I was able to make a meal for a family of 5 that probably lasted them through a lunch or two as well!
Hospitality and generosity can truly be frugal!
*Note* Cost estimates are based on the amount of food I gave the family. The soup's ingredients, even bought on a sale and stocked in my pantry, may have cost $5 total but I had so much soup that I gave my parents a meal, and we had a large bowl which lasted us at least 2 meals as well. So, though the jello cost $1.50 total to make, we kept half of it for our family, which is why I listed the cost as 75 cents.
Uuuuugggghhhh!
This is just one-third of the destruction...
Has anyone else had neighbor's who make them want to scream? I assure you, I really am trying to love them and can't do it in my own strength. I did make them a photo book yesterday with Bible verses in Spanish, one of my goals on the 30 Things list. However, today I discovered that they had taken a permanent marker and wrote the ABCs all over the wood fences (15 feet worth of permanent writing) in the back yard and drew on our backyard swing and some of my kid's toys. Of course it's all over the fences behind OUR apartment, so today I will have to spend time contacting the managers and letting them know about it so that WE don't end up losing our deposit because of it. They sliced open our other neighbor's screen with a knife too. Kids 5 and 6 years old ought to know better!!!
My spirited child (who has been consistently trained) looks like the sweetest, most obedient little girl ever next to our neighbor girls! Isn't there a verse somewhere about how if you don't discipline your kids it's a digrace to you or brings shame to the mother?
Trying to make it 27 more days.......
Will. I. Survive?
Stay tuned to see.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Making My Home a Haven---Diswhwashing Woes
Even though it seems Crystal has discontinued her Making Your Home a Haven carnival on Mondays, I plan to post on this wonderful subject as the mood strikes me. My home has been anything but haven-like in recent weeks as I've struggled to get basic chores done. I used to vacuum at least 5 times a week and now I'm lucky to get it done once a week since I have to try to do it when baby isn't nearby.
I'm finding it nearly impossible to get dishes done every day because Justus seems to want to be held a LOT and even if he's in his sling, I can't bend over him and do dishes comfortably. Then there is chasing the other two. It's hard to supervise their play while doing dishes. I often try to do 10 or 15 minutes worth while they wrestle with Daddy after supper or Ali washes along with me while Jer is napping in the morning but there just seems to be TOO MANY and I always get interrupted by someone or something before they are even close to finished. On Saturday, after a few days of not getting many dishes done and yet cooking a lot and making a ton of dirty dishes, I was so frustrated and sick of my kitchen feeling dirty that I was determined to do them at any cost! Funny thing is King Jo didn't have to work on Saturday morning this week and so he made me homemade waffles (breakfast in bed) which was a wonderful surprise. Then he started doing dishes. I felt bad that he would be doing "my" chore on his day off so when he refused to quit, I joined in and did them with him (the baby was miraculously sleeping) and we got MOST of them done and the kitchen looked so much better and I felt so much better. Don't you just feel like your whole house is dirty when the kitchen is dirty and piled high with dishes to wash? I'm no perfectionist, but it does bug me when I can't keep the house even remotely clean!
Life with 3 small ones would be so much easier if we had a dish washer, a washer and dryer in our home, and did not have cream-colored living room carpet or white linoleum in the kitchen but enough whining...
All I can say is we're in a survival mode of focusing on the main things like keeping baby fed and not worrying about perfection right now. Eventually, when Justus is older (or when he's riding around in his new Ergo) the house will look a lot cleaner. I have to remember that my attitude and what I'm training my kids is more important than polished floors, and nary a crumb in sight.
And on that note: I visited a new friend this week and was so delighted to see toys everywhere, books all around, and dirty dishes all over the counter. She's at a busy stage of life too and didn't feel the need to fix up or be perfect for my visit, which was so refreshing to me! It takes a lot of guts to be that vulnerable, but it blessed me!
I'm finding it nearly impossible to get dishes done every day because Justus seems to want to be held a LOT and even if he's in his sling, I can't bend over him and do dishes comfortably. Then there is chasing the other two. It's hard to supervise their play while doing dishes. I often try to do 10 or 15 minutes worth while they wrestle with Daddy after supper or Ali washes along with me while Jer is napping in the morning but there just seems to be TOO MANY and I always get interrupted by someone or something before they are even close to finished. On Saturday, after a few days of not getting many dishes done and yet cooking a lot and making a ton of dirty dishes, I was so frustrated and sick of my kitchen feeling dirty that I was determined to do them at any cost! Funny thing is King Jo didn't have to work on Saturday morning this week and so he made me homemade waffles (breakfast in bed) which was a wonderful surprise. Then he started doing dishes. I felt bad that he would be doing "my" chore on his day off so when he refused to quit, I joined in and did them with him (the baby was miraculously sleeping) and we got MOST of them done and the kitchen looked so much better and I felt so much better. Don't you just feel like your whole house is dirty when the kitchen is dirty and piled high with dishes to wash? I'm no perfectionist, but it does bug me when I can't keep the house even remotely clean!
Life with 3 small ones would be so much easier if we had a dish washer, a washer and dryer in our home, and did not have cream-colored living room carpet or white linoleum in the kitchen but enough whining...
All I can say is we're in a survival mode of focusing on the main things like keeping baby fed and not worrying about perfection right now. Eventually, when Justus is older (or when he's riding around in his new Ergo) the house will look a lot cleaner. I have to remember that my attitude and what I'm training my kids is more important than polished floors, and nary a crumb in sight.
And on that note: I visited a new friend this week and was so delighted to see toys everywhere, books all around, and dirty dishes all over the counter. She's at a busy stage of life too and didn't feel the need to fix up or be perfect for my visit, which was so refreshing to me! It takes a lot of guts to be that vulnerable, but it blessed me!
Apple Days
Jeremiah and Arianna collect apples that we have shaken down from the trees
Mom's nifty machine
Last Friday was a beautiful fall day. My friend Amy and all of our kids loaded into our van to go apple picking at the free orchard outside of town. We had an enjoyable time and each got a couple of buckets of apples!
So, this weekend was spent making applesauce, apple butter, dried apples, and fruit leather. My fruit leather, however did NOT turn out even though I made it thicker the second time and only put it in for half the time the second time. A dehydrator would probably do a much better job on the fruit leather but I don't have one so I was using the recipe from http://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/ I think my oven just tends to be hotter than it says!
My mom loaned me a really nifty machine she has that makes it very easy to make applesauce. You just chop the apples up and cook them until they are tender and then put them into the machine and twist the crank. The peels and cores and seeds come out one end into a discard bowl and the applesauce comes down the little slide into your applesauce bowl. Then you can cook it on the stove, adding cinnamon and sugar as needed. My mom makes hers by adding a bag of red hots to the bowl, which makes for some pretty pink and yummy tasting applesauce!
30 Day Countdown
When we first met them Ali was still pretty tiny! They all crawled into her crib one day and started sucking on her pacis, pretending to be babies.I had originally planned to write this post on Oct. 1st but since I was so sick I couldn't even eat or check e-mail, I didn't get it posted until today. There are 30 days left with our difficult neighbors! Yeah Hurray! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't overjoyed. Especially since we discovered several new scratches on our new minivan that look like the work of Fernanda and Frida.
But, I'd also be lying if I said I won't miss them a bit. I have truly enjoyed much of the friendship our families have shared over the past couple of years. When Lupe and I first met neither of us had many friends so we spent many hours chatting in Spanish and swapping recipes and teaching each other to cook our country's foods. I've always known that if I need help or am in trouble I can go to them and they've obviously proven that they feel the same about us! They are very social and lively and we've enjoyed their wild pinata parties at every birthday and the big neighborhood pool parties every summer.
Even though we are glad that our kids won't be around them anymore because of their influence (last night even their mom said she couldn't stand them and going to work everyday is a vacation to get away from their screaming and fighting....) we will miss them and I want our friendship to end on a really good note. So, I've decided to think of 30 things I can do to bless them during the last 30 days with them.
1. Print off that bread recipe Lupe wanted.
2. Let the girls have a tea party with Ali with fancy dishes.
3. Have the girls over for one more dancing-in-ballerina-outfits-to-classical-music fest.
4. Print off my cookie recipe for Lupe.
5. Start compiling a scrapbook of photos of our kids having fun together.
6. Work on the scrapbook.
7. Add Bible verses in Spanish in the scrapbook.
8. Finish the scrapbook.
9. Wrap the scrapbook up nicely with all of my favorite recipes for Lupe.
10. Spend time just chatting with Lupe.
11. Take them one of the American foods they have enjoyed that I make.
12. Make them some cinnamon/chocolate cookies before they leave.
13. Have Ali help me buy/make them a little travel activity that the girls can play with on the long drive to Mexico.
14. Get their address/e-mail address and save it.
15. Purchase one of the bikes they want to get rid of (a friend of mine can use it for her son)
16. Highlight some verses in the Spanish/English Bible that have to do with salvation.
17. Wrap up and give them the gift Bible.
18. Let the girls use paints at our kitchen table.
19. Share a cup of Mexican cocoa and conversation with Lupe.
20. Transfer their laundry from the washer to the dryer for about the millionth time!
21. Surprise them one day by folding their laundry.
22. Buy some postcards of Wyoming and stick them in their scrapbook.
23. Sit out in the yard and chat with them like old times.
24. Let Lupe have her fill of holding the baby and cuddling him.
25. Have Ali draw the girls some special pictures as a reminder of their friendship.
26. Have a sing-along with the girls and review all the Bible songs we've taught them.
27. Go over the wordless book with Fernie and Frida.
28. Offer to watch the girls while their mom runs a quick errand
29. Invite them to do something fun with us (park or swimming or a walk, etc.)
30. Give them lots of hugs.
Someday we may just go visit them in Mexico! They'd be thrilled and it would be a fun vacation. God truly answered my prayer a couple of years ago when I asked Him to put us in a place where we could be a witness and a light to our neighbors. I had no idea how hard it would be or how much it would stretch me, but I think I have gained a lot from the experience. Maybe God is preparing us for overseas ministry someday! Whatever the case, I hope with all of my heart that our neighbors come to Christ and were pointed to Him through our friendship.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Three 3 and Under---Hope for the Hard Days
Those of you mom with 3 or more kids knew it was only a matter of time until I experienced a really tough day with all of them! Well, now I have! Justus has been our best sleeper, sleeping a 4 hour and 3 hour chunk at night and I had my easiest delivery and recovery. There have only been a couple of nights in the last 6 weeks where he was gassy and kept me up most of the entire night and I've been so, so, so thankful for that. However, this weekend he was really fussy and gassy and my patience and energy were wearing thin. Thankfully my hubby was home to help those days. However, this morning I woke up feeling like a train had literally run over my body. The older 2 had cried a lot in the night last night, interrupting our sleep (not sure why) but I normally don't feel that horrible even when I've gotten hardly any sleep. It didn't take me too long to discover that I must have had a clogged milk duct. I've had these 4 or 5 times before with my other kids (and even once during Justus' pregnancy when I wasn't even nursing!) They are horrible! Every inch of your body aches and you feel like you can barely move, let alone get off of the floor. You get chills and fever and feel incredibly tired and every muscle in your back hurts. Nursing feels like someone is stabbing you repeatedly with hot pokers but the key to recovery is to nurse as much as you can on the clogged side so that the clog/infection goes away.
I knew it was going to be a tough day since getting rest and taking care of 3 kids 3 and under definitely don't mesh. I let the kids spread out all of their blankets on the floor and declared it a movie day. We have never had to do that before, but I was desperate and too sick to even read to them! The kids' attention waned after around an hour of movies and Justus was a major fussypants but we made it (barely) until lunch when Daddy came home and he fed and cleaned up the kids and changed an icky diaper. I really didn't want him to leave again but I knew he needed to work and I knew naptime was coming, thank the Lord! So, the boys napped, I rested, and Ali played in her bedroom fairly quietly for a couple of hours. I started feeling much better (as in I could handle walking to the bathroom) in the late afternoon but I continued to rest and let the kids watch another movie and King Jo came home around 5 and picked up Dominos pizza since we had a gift card from Justus' shower.
I am no expert on how to deal with really tough days with 3 little ones, but here's what I did today:
*Pray (it really does help!)
*If you are ill or dealing with 3 screaming kids, forget all housework and focus on just attending to the basic needs (diapers, drinks, food, and not letting the kids kill each other).
*Teach your kids patience. If Justus is screaming and Ali is begging for a drink of milk and Jer is hollering that he is hungry I will try to calmly tell them that when the baby is done drinking I will then get them something. It's good for kids to have siblings to teach them that the universe doesn't revolve around them.
*Ask your oldest to be Mommy's helper. I was proud of the way Ali fetched things for me constantly today. Even Jer-Bear helped out where he could. It was sweet to see them kissing me, trying to give me a foot massage, and praying for me all day.
*Keep the kids on a short tether. While it was a pretty day and they would have loved to play outside, I could barely move, let alone watch them outdoors. So, even though our apartment is very small and not a great place to burn off energy, I made them stay indoors and encouraged their playing where I could see them so I could referee fighting with my weak voice.
*Get take-out for supper!
I try to keep these awful days in perspective. They are tough, but I am so glad to have 3 little blessings and most days with them are a lot easier. It's totally worth having 3, even if occasionally all 3 of them are screaming at once!
What do our veteran moms of 3 or more suggest for the tough days?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Giving an Ergo a Try
I've heard so many of my favorite bloggers raving about the Ergo baby carrier that I decided to give it a try with Justus. He loves the sling, unlike my other kids, and is outgrowing the Snugli carrier and my homemade sling. And I just can't figure out how to comfortably carry my kids in the Guatamalan sling even though the Guatamalan women seem to have no trouble lugging around their preschoolers in it! I have tried a large variety of slings in the past few years and have not found one that is very comfortable both for myself and the baby.
Blogreader KC commented recently on my blog that I should get an Ergo. After researching on it all weekend I decided that she was right and ordered one from a nice homeschooling family she recommended that has an online business: www.thehomegrownfamily.com They processed my order immediately and I can't wait to get it and try it out.
They are pricey, but apparently worth it, and since Justus is my third kid and wants to be held 24/7, I kind of need my hands free to cook, clean, or care for the other kids and need to find a sling that works and works well! The Ergo is supposed to be wonderful for the mother's spine and baby's spine too. It was developed by a mom in 2003 and has started exploding in popularity. You can use it on your hip, on your front, or on your back. We received some money from some family and some friends for baby gifts so that will go toward the Ergo!
Want to see what one looks like? Check out the official site here. Another great site to visit where you can watch an online video on the Ergo is www.myfavoritebabycarrier.com
If you want to give one a try, I would recommend ordering one from the family's website I linked to above since it's the same price as anywhere else on the web, has free shipping, and a 90-Day guarantee. I figure if my baby doesn't like it or I don't use it as much as I had hoped I can return it within a few months and get a FULL refund!
For those of you with gassy/clingy babies, it might be an important purchase for your sanity.
I will let you all know how I like it after I've tested it out for a while. It is supposed to carry kids up to 40 pounds so I can see how it works with all of my kids.
Who are my favorite bloggers who LOVE their Ergos? Tammy, from www.tammysrecipes.com, Crystal, from www.biblicalwomanhood.com/blog and Lindsay, from www.passionatehomemaking.com
Blogreader KC commented recently on my blog that I should get an Ergo. After researching on it all weekend I decided that she was right and ordered one from a nice homeschooling family she recommended that has an online business: www.thehomegrownfamily.com They processed my order immediately and I can't wait to get it and try it out.
They are pricey, but apparently worth it, and since Justus is my third kid and wants to be held 24/7, I kind of need my hands free to cook, clean, or care for the other kids and need to find a sling that works and works well! The Ergo is supposed to be wonderful for the mother's spine and baby's spine too. It was developed by a mom in 2003 and has started exploding in popularity. You can use it on your hip, on your front, or on your back. We received some money from some family and some friends for baby gifts so that will go toward the Ergo!
Want to see what one looks like? Check out the official site here. Another great site to visit where you can watch an online video on the Ergo is www.myfavoritebabycarrier.com
If you want to give one a try, I would recommend ordering one from the family's website I linked to above since it's the same price as anywhere else on the web, has free shipping, and a 90-Day guarantee. I figure if my baby doesn't like it or I don't use it as much as I had hoped I can return it within a few months and get a FULL refund!
For those of you with gassy/clingy babies, it might be an important purchase for your sanity.
I will let you all know how I like it after I've tested it out for a while. It is supposed to carry kids up to 40 pounds so I can see how it works with all of my kids.
Who are my favorite bloggers who LOVE their Ergos? Tammy, from www.tammysrecipes.com, Crystal, from www.biblicalwomanhood.com/blog and Lindsay, from www.passionatehomemaking.com
Monday, September 29, 2008
Tithing
Last week I mentioned the phishing scam we were victims of. Blogreader Jennifer wrote this comment:
"My blessed sister in Christ, I have one question. Are you a tither? If you are then you have NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT."
Malachi 3 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Malachi 3: 11
I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts.
Thank you for reminding me of these verses Jennifer!
This comment reminded me that I never got around to finishing my last post in my Living Debt Free blog series I did this summer. Tithing is really the most important part of our budget and yet I never got around to compiling my post on the issue due to my pregnancy fatigue.
So, though my time is limited, I want to share with my blog readers that I was trained to tithe as a child, have always tithed, and sincerely believe that tithing is absolutely important in the life of a follower of Jesus. I don't believe that it is a ticket to Heaven or that you should give just to see what you can "get" out of it. I don't believe churches should guilt people into or force tithes and that we should give as the Lord leads us. I do believe, as commenter Jennifer does, that God will prove Himself faithful if we are faithful to tithe. I do agree with the words of Billy Graham on tithing, "Most Christians find that 90% goes a lot further than 100%."
I am saddened to see how few American Christians give and how very few give sacrificially. Some people declare that they would tithe if they had more money. Because how we handle our money is an overflow from the heart, how much money you have isn't the issue. Priorities are. People tend to spend what they make (or more). Why do Americans seem to think they can't give when we are the richest folks in the world? Remember the widow's mite? Or the widow who gave her last flour and oil to Elisha? Why do Christians want to rob themselves of blessings by not giving to the Lord?
If you believe that all you have is God's anyway, then that 10% (or whatever you believe is God's will for you to tithe) isn't yours to begin with and isn't yours to spend. The government takes 10-15% of our income and we manage to survive. Shouldn't we revere God more than the IRS? There are many Christians out there buying a daily mocha or spending $50 a month on a gym they never visit who won't give to their church but once or twice a year. I have been in missions and we have two siblings in missions right now and we have come to find that sometimes it is the poorest of people who give the most.
Is it always easy to give? Not always. Often you feel wonderful about giving and excited to help with a ministry you really believe in. But there are also times, like when I was in college and only making $100 a month, where I could have used that $10 for Ramen instead of tithing. But God ALWAYS provided my needs and gave me above and beyond what I needed. He continues to do so and we continue to tithe and to give above our normal tithe as He blesses us with unexpected income from overtime hours or unexpected refunds. Because both my husband and I were taught as children to tithe, it is generally easy for us as there is no doubt in either of our minds that tithing is the best thing we can do for our budget! Of course the world doesn't understand this AT ALL! How can you build wealth/security by giving money away? How foolish to give money to "an idea of a deity" who may or may not exist, they say. All I can say is, "If you are not a believer, than you won't be able to understand the spiritual wisdom of tithing. If you are a believer and you don't tithe, you are robbing yourself of incredible blessing." I found this article interesting.
If I felt that I couldn't possibly tithe because my budget was so tight I would find a way to live on less or make more money. How I spend my money is a reflection of my heart. If my heart is passionate about the things of God, then I will use my resources to fund the spread of the Gospel, support my church body and help the needy.
2 Cor. 9:6-8
"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
You've heard on my blog how God provided our mini-van though it looked like an impossibly big amount just a half a year ago. I could share countless stories of how God has provided exactly what we need at just the right time. But I'd rather hear YOUR stories. How has God proven Himself faithful to you in conjunction with your obedience to tithe?
"My blessed sister in Christ, I have one question. Are you a tither? If you are then you have NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT."
Malachi 3 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Malachi 3: 11
I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts.
Thank you for reminding me of these verses Jennifer!
This comment reminded me that I never got around to finishing my last post in my Living Debt Free blog series I did this summer. Tithing is really the most important part of our budget and yet I never got around to compiling my post on the issue due to my pregnancy fatigue.
So, though my time is limited, I want to share with my blog readers that I was trained to tithe as a child, have always tithed, and sincerely believe that tithing is absolutely important in the life of a follower of Jesus. I don't believe that it is a ticket to Heaven or that you should give just to see what you can "get" out of it. I don't believe churches should guilt people into or force tithes and that we should give as the Lord leads us. I do believe, as commenter Jennifer does, that God will prove Himself faithful if we are faithful to tithe. I do agree with the words of Billy Graham on tithing, "Most Christians find that 90% goes a lot further than 100%."
I am saddened to see how few American Christians give and how very few give sacrificially. Some people declare that they would tithe if they had more money. Because how we handle our money is an overflow from the heart, how much money you have isn't the issue. Priorities are. People tend to spend what they make (or more). Why do Americans seem to think they can't give when we are the richest folks in the world? Remember the widow's mite? Or the widow who gave her last flour and oil to Elisha? Why do Christians want to rob themselves of blessings by not giving to the Lord?
If you believe that all you have is God's anyway, then that 10% (or whatever you believe is God's will for you to tithe) isn't yours to begin with and isn't yours to spend. The government takes 10-15% of our income and we manage to survive. Shouldn't we revere God more than the IRS? There are many Christians out there buying a daily mocha or spending $50 a month on a gym they never visit who won't give to their church but once or twice a year. I have been in missions and we have two siblings in missions right now and we have come to find that sometimes it is the poorest of people who give the most.
Is it always easy to give? Not always. Often you feel wonderful about giving and excited to help with a ministry you really believe in. But there are also times, like when I was in college and only making $100 a month, where I could have used that $10 for Ramen instead of tithing. But God ALWAYS provided my needs and gave me above and beyond what I needed. He continues to do so and we continue to tithe and to give above our normal tithe as He blesses us with unexpected income from overtime hours or unexpected refunds. Because both my husband and I were taught as children to tithe, it is generally easy for us as there is no doubt in either of our minds that tithing is the best thing we can do for our budget! Of course the world doesn't understand this AT ALL! How can you build wealth/security by giving money away? How foolish to give money to "an idea of a deity" who may or may not exist, they say. All I can say is, "If you are not a believer, than you won't be able to understand the spiritual wisdom of tithing. If you are a believer and you don't tithe, you are robbing yourself of incredible blessing." I found this article interesting.
If I felt that I couldn't possibly tithe because my budget was so tight I would find a way to live on less or make more money. How I spend my money is a reflection of my heart. If my heart is passionate about the things of God, then I will use my resources to fund the spread of the Gospel, support my church body and help the needy.
2 Cor. 9:6-8
"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
You've heard on my blog how God provided our mini-van though it looked like an impossibly big amount just a half a year ago. I could share countless stories of how God has provided exactly what we need at just the right time. But I'd rather hear YOUR stories. How has God proven Himself faithful to you in conjunction with your obedience to tithe?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Only in Wyo
On the way to pick Ali up from pre-school I noticed a guy riding his horse down Main Street. Only in Wyoming!
(Yes, I was taking pics while driving. Don't try that at home...)
Friday, September 26, 2008
Frugal Fridays--Healthy and Easy Homemade Tortillas
This new tortilla recipe I tried is WONDERFUL! They are super simple to make too! Kids love to get in on the fun. I haven't tried making them in bulk and freezing them but I would like to try it eventually so I can have tortillas on hand. These are much healthier and much tastier than the ones you buy in the store!
We love to make bean tacos out of them with homemade refried beans and homemade salsa!
2 C. flour (I use 1 C. of whole wheat and 1 C. unbleached all-purpose) Experiment with other flours if you like.
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/4 C. olive oil
3/4 C. cold water
Mix all but the water in a mixing bowl. Add water gradually.
Knead dough until smooth.
Divide pieces of dough into pieces of dough the size of a small egg.
Roll flat with a rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Cook in ungreased frying pan for 1-2 minutes on each side. (Medium heat)
Wrap in a dishtowel to keep them soft and foldable. Eat immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Investing in Alathia
Overheard at the dinner table:
King Jo to Ali: "Ali, can you imagine what a spirited girl could do with the Holy Spirit in her?"
This week I'm thankful for Ali. I'm thankful because I know God gave me exactly the little girl He wanted me to have. He knew that if I had merely had the two, easy-going little boys I would think I was a perfect parent or that parenting is pretty easy. He knew I would be proud and haughty. He knew I needed to be challenged to grow, to learn, and most importantly to see His face continually. So, He blessed me with an amazing little person who gives me daily opportunities to lean on grace.
And as I look back on all the struggles and situations we've been through, I have to agree with the words to a Sara Groves song,
"I can't remember a trial or a pain He did not recycle to bring me gain. I can't remember one single regret in serving God only and trusting his hand."
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Three 3 and Under--Third Kids
Perhaps it was because I was the oldest, but I always had this idea that the first kid gets the most attention and love. My parents didn't show favoritism or anything but my brothers were always complaining that I could do this or that because I was older and it wasn't fair. I was also the only girl so I got to do different things than the boys and Dad made the boys do more of the physical chores around the home. I won't tell you which brother, but one of my brothers even complained when Mom bought me my first bra, "Why does Lindsey get everything? Why can't I get one too?"
So, needless to say, I kind of had the expectation from books and talking with other people that the youngest kid or kids get shorted. That they get less attention, the parents are more lenient with them, they are the tag-alongs to their older siblings, etc.
Since I've become a parent of a third child I've been excited to see that EACH and EVERY baby I've had thus far has been EQUALLY anticipated and EQUALLY loved! So, this post is for my hubby (who is a third child) and my youngest brother. While it may be true that parents don't have the undivided attention to pamper and cater to the third baby's every squeak or boil the pacifer every time it hits the floor, I think the third child gets even MORE attention because the older siblings are always crowding around him, kissing him and begging to hold him. I adore cuddling my third baby so much because I've realized how fast this stage goes and am more apt to appreciate it now! Whether your baby is a big surprise or not, easy or difficult, closely spaced to the other kids or not, boy or girl you love them with all your heart and can't imagine life without them! I speak only as a mom of three, but I'm sure my blogging friends with seven or eight would back me up on this!
The Gentle Mother's Support Club--On Your Knees
How's everyone doing in the mothering with gentleness arena? I'm finding that it's been a LOT easier for me to be gentle when I'm not pregnant but that doesn't mean it's easy. I am still daily tempted to lose my temper with my spirited child or be harsh or unreasonable in my expectations. I do see improvement in my own life as I continually seek God in prayer for His strength, wisdom, and help in parenting.
Last night I was listening to a sermon by Piper on marriage and parenting and was greatly encouraged by something he said (as usual!). He talked about how parenting is hard and yet it is our business and what we are to be about. And we should read like crazy on the subject but if you don't have time to read a thousand books, you should fall on your knees and cry out to God, "Shape me into Your image for this child!"
So, that's my new theme! When I'm at my wits' end and don't think I have an ounce of patience left for my children I want to ask God to give me what I need at the moment for my child, in order to ultimately point them to Christ in everything I do.
In the comments section let the rest of us know what challenges/victories you have had this week in parenting with gentleness!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Keepin' Things Real
I don't know about you but sometimes a person can be intimidated by other bloggers. Everyone puts the "best of themselves" on the blog and when we see their showcase we start to wonder why we can't keep our home looking like something out of Country Homes and Gardens, cook like a gourmet chef every night, and do a zillion crafts and projects with our children while maintaining good grooming, good exercise habits, regular personal devotions and family worship, and managing a home business on the side.
I doubt there is anyone out there that would even consider the idea that I'm perfect, but lots of folks have asked how I do as much as I do. And so, for the sake of honesty, I wanted to remind you that this blog reflects that I'm a learning, growing, changing person. I often highlight our daily routines or things that we are doing currently, but this is not to say that I do everything I've written about at all times.
For example:
*At one point I loved having a detailed home management binder with printed checklists of daily to-dos. It worked wonderfully for that stage, but at present I use a regular notebook in my binder to jot down meal plan lists, grocery lists, and daily to-do lists in pen, making life simpler since I'm in the stage of having a newborn and adjusting to 3 kids. I love the binder approach and will probably go back to more detailed checklists during the homeschooling years.
*I haven't done a lot of crafts recently. I love sewing and crafts but haven't had the time to do more than simple mending or making bead socks recently. Eventually when I'm getting even better sleep and am feeling up for it I plan to make some leather shoes for Baby J. Of course he's already got several hand-me-down pairs from Jer too!
*People who ask me how I find the time to blog don't realize how easy blogging is for me. I've always loved writing from the time I could write my ABCs and I have an abundace of words. Writing for me is thrilling and therapeutic and thanks to a particularly stoic high-school typing teacher I can type really fast, meaning I don't have to spend hours and hours composing or writing a small post (like a friend of mine who tried to blog and then gave up). If you're not the writing type, seeing someone else who writes often may make you wonder how they do it, but perhaps you can play an instrument well or paint a beautiful mural whereas all I can paint is blobs! Where do I find the time? Well, because it's a hobby I blog during naptimes (aka "mom's free time") while nursing the baby. I blog when my husband is volunteering with the Youth Group on Wednesday nights or during those long nursing jags before baby goes to bed if my hubby isn't using the computer. We don't have TV so I blog instead of watching TV!
*Couponing doesn't consume my life even though I often write about great deals I've gotten by doing couponing. While I do coupon and shop the loss leaders weekly, I only spend about 5 minutes a day glancing over MoneySavingMom and printing off good coupons. Since we get very few coupons in the weekly paper here they are easy to clip and organize. I shop Walgreens about once a month now.
*When you live in a small space, getting out isn't a burden but a joy. While I probably do twice as many playdates as many of my other mom friends, I don't feel overwhelmed because I have learned with my two particular children that it is easier to manage them if we have time away from the house. This is especially essential due to the neighbors that we have and the fact that due to the neighbor kids being mean or saying bad things, we often have to keep the kids indoors to prevent our kids playing with them. Since we live less than a mile from just about anything in town, it doesn't take long to get out. Therefore when we escape to the park it is a blessing and a way for the kids to get a nice change of scenery and a chance to run. We go to library story time once a week, have a set park playdate once a week with friends, Ali has preschool twice a week, and we usually visit my folks once or twice on the weekends. In addition to this we usually have one or two other playdates a week that are not regular, but might be something like going on a picnic, going swimming, or visiting friends we haven't seen in a while. With having 3 kids I try to keep the outings to one a day, but I can definitely manage two if we do something in the morning and then later, after naps, we have to grab some groceries or feel like going to the park. I try to combine exercise and outings by walking as much as I can.
*My house isn't always clutter-free, there are always dirty dishes to do, and my floors seem to be filthy again about 5 minutes after I mop. I definitely strive to have a clean and orderly home but it often falls short of that due to the two little tornados I live with and I don't beat myself up about it.
*Things change based on the stage I'm in:
--When I'm suffering from morning sickness I'm not doing frugal things or cooking much at all
--When I'm pregnant my hubby gets the kids up and gets them breakfast to give me more sleep, but when I'm not we all get up around the same time.
--I rarely shop the thrift store anymore now that I have 3 kids
--Doing one load of laundry a day first thing in the morning is my preference but I have switched to doing laundry just 3 or 4 days a week and doing a few loads on those days due to situation we are in with having to walk down to a laundry room and share one washer and one dryer with many other families.
--When I'm nursing a baby, I do a lot more quick e-mail checks since I'm confined to sitting for several periods of time all day long. While I try not to be online much when the kids are awake, if they are having a blast playing together in their room or in the back patio/yard and I'm nursing the baby I will get online. But those quick e-mail checks definitely have to be quick since they are liable to start fighting after a few minutes of peaceful playing together!
--Ali used to watch a 30 minute video each morning so I could shower/do bills/computer time. Now that she is in pre-school 2 days a week and we have other activities going we don't do videos much at all now. When I was pregnant and very exhausted she sometimes watched one in the morning and then another one while I made supper.
--At this stage of life I find it easiest to absorb Scripture by listening to my Bible on CD while I clean up the kitchen. This doesn't mean I don't sit down and read my Bible ever or don't do devos with the kids, it just means that this is the main way I'm getting Scripture during this busy newborn stage.
--Jeremiah has decided to start sleeping in until 9am meaning devotions with both kids don't happen before or after breakfast like before. No matter how sleep and school schedules change things though, it still is my priority and goal to always have this time with the kids and King Jo always takes the time to read Bible stories to them and pray with them before bed as well.
--When we lived at the farmhouse we used to hang-dry all our laundry and have wood stove heat. These chores consumed a lot of my day whereas in-town apartment living is a lot simpler and less work.
So, you see, life is always changing and flexing with the current needs of the household. In the midst of the all the routine changes, my love for God and my family remain constant, as well as the goals to train our kids consistently and be teaching them the Word. Some nights I cook like Martha Stewart, but then the living room is usually a disaster. Some nights the house is spotless but we eat tuna sandwiches for supper. Some days we do a fabulous craft but there's likely a mountain of clean laundry waiting on the couch to be folded after the kids are in bed! Some days the kids are dressed in adorable outfits with perfect hair-dos and other days they pick out their own clothes, muss up their hair and look like total ragamuffins. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not working, all-day long, though you'd never know it since most of what I do gets undone!
I'm a real-live imperfect Mama just learnin' and growin' along with everyone else!
I doubt there is anyone out there that would even consider the idea that I'm perfect, but lots of folks have asked how I do as much as I do. And so, for the sake of honesty, I wanted to remind you that this blog reflects that I'm a learning, growing, changing person. I often highlight our daily routines or things that we are doing currently, but this is not to say that I do everything I've written about at all times.
For example:
*At one point I loved having a detailed home management binder with printed checklists of daily to-dos. It worked wonderfully for that stage, but at present I use a regular notebook in my binder to jot down meal plan lists, grocery lists, and daily to-do lists in pen, making life simpler since I'm in the stage of having a newborn and adjusting to 3 kids. I love the binder approach and will probably go back to more detailed checklists during the homeschooling years.
*I haven't done a lot of crafts recently. I love sewing and crafts but haven't had the time to do more than simple mending or making bead socks recently. Eventually when I'm getting even better sleep and am feeling up for it I plan to make some leather shoes for Baby J. Of course he's already got several hand-me-down pairs from Jer too!
*People who ask me how I find the time to blog don't realize how easy blogging is for me. I've always loved writing from the time I could write my ABCs and I have an abundace of words. Writing for me is thrilling and therapeutic and thanks to a particularly stoic high-school typing teacher I can type really fast, meaning I don't have to spend hours and hours composing or writing a small post (like a friend of mine who tried to blog and then gave up). If you're not the writing type, seeing someone else who writes often may make you wonder how they do it, but perhaps you can play an instrument well or paint a beautiful mural whereas all I can paint is blobs! Where do I find the time? Well, because it's a hobby I blog during naptimes (aka "mom's free time") while nursing the baby. I blog when my husband is volunteering with the Youth Group on Wednesday nights or during those long nursing jags before baby goes to bed if my hubby isn't using the computer. We don't have TV so I blog instead of watching TV!
*Couponing doesn't consume my life even though I often write about great deals I've gotten by doing couponing. While I do coupon and shop the loss leaders weekly, I only spend about 5 minutes a day glancing over MoneySavingMom and printing off good coupons. Since we get very few coupons in the weekly paper here they are easy to clip and organize. I shop Walgreens about once a month now.
*When you live in a small space, getting out isn't a burden but a joy. While I probably do twice as many playdates as many of my other mom friends, I don't feel overwhelmed because I have learned with my two particular children that it is easier to manage them if we have time away from the house. This is especially essential due to the neighbors that we have and the fact that due to the neighbor kids being mean or saying bad things, we often have to keep the kids indoors to prevent our kids playing with them. Since we live less than a mile from just about anything in town, it doesn't take long to get out. Therefore when we escape to the park it is a blessing and a way for the kids to get a nice change of scenery and a chance to run. We go to library story time once a week, have a set park playdate once a week with friends, Ali has preschool twice a week, and we usually visit my folks once or twice on the weekends. In addition to this we usually have one or two other playdates a week that are not regular, but might be something like going on a picnic, going swimming, or visiting friends we haven't seen in a while. With having 3 kids I try to keep the outings to one a day, but I can definitely manage two if we do something in the morning and then later, after naps, we have to grab some groceries or feel like going to the park. I try to combine exercise and outings by walking as much as I can.
*My house isn't always clutter-free, there are always dirty dishes to do, and my floors seem to be filthy again about 5 minutes after I mop. I definitely strive to have a clean and orderly home but it often falls short of that due to the two little tornados I live with and I don't beat myself up about it.
*Things change based on the stage I'm in:
--When I'm suffering from morning sickness I'm not doing frugal things or cooking much at all
--When I'm pregnant my hubby gets the kids up and gets them breakfast to give me more sleep, but when I'm not we all get up around the same time.
--I rarely shop the thrift store anymore now that I have 3 kids
--Doing one load of laundry a day first thing in the morning is my preference but I have switched to doing laundry just 3 or 4 days a week and doing a few loads on those days due to situation we are in with having to walk down to a laundry room and share one washer and one dryer with many other families.
--When I'm nursing a baby, I do a lot more quick e-mail checks since I'm confined to sitting for several periods of time all day long. While I try not to be online much when the kids are awake, if they are having a blast playing together in their room or in the back patio/yard and I'm nursing the baby I will get online. But those quick e-mail checks definitely have to be quick since they are liable to start fighting after a few minutes of peaceful playing together!
--Ali used to watch a 30 minute video each morning so I could shower/do bills/computer time. Now that she is in pre-school 2 days a week and we have other activities going we don't do videos much at all now. When I was pregnant and very exhausted she sometimes watched one in the morning and then another one while I made supper.
--At this stage of life I find it easiest to absorb Scripture by listening to my Bible on CD while I clean up the kitchen. This doesn't mean I don't sit down and read my Bible ever or don't do devos with the kids, it just means that this is the main way I'm getting Scripture during this busy newborn stage.
--Jeremiah has decided to start sleeping in until 9am meaning devotions with both kids don't happen before or after breakfast like before. No matter how sleep and school schedules change things though, it still is my priority and goal to always have this time with the kids and King Jo always takes the time to read Bible stories to them and pray with them before bed as well.
--When we lived at the farmhouse we used to hang-dry all our laundry and have wood stove heat. These chores consumed a lot of my day whereas in-town apartment living is a lot simpler and less work.
So, you see, life is always changing and flexing with the current needs of the household. In the midst of the all the routine changes, my love for God and my family remain constant, as well as the goals to train our kids consistently and be teaching them the Word. Some nights I cook like Martha Stewart, but then the living room is usually a disaster. Some nights the house is spotless but we eat tuna sandwiches for supper. Some days we do a fabulous craft but there's likely a mountain of clean laundry waiting on the couch to be folded after the kids are in bed! Some days the kids are dressed in adorable outfits with perfect hair-dos and other days they pick out their own clothes, muss up their hair and look like total ragamuffins. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not working, all-day long, though you'd never know it since most of what I do gets undone!
I'm a real-live imperfect Mama just learnin' and growin' along with everyone else!
Kid Funnies
We pulled out the potty chair to see if Jer was remotely interested in learning to go potty. He knows that if he goes he will get a small piece of candy like a chocolate chip. He was trying hard because he really wanted some candy. All that came out was air.
He said, “Me tooted. Get candy?”
Ali was eating burritos with sour cream on them and stated, “This is yummy shaving cream.”
(Keep in mind that Ali somehow developed the idea that people with moustaches are bad…..)
Daddy was explaining to Ali that we need to be kind to the neighbors because God loves them. He was saying God is nice and wants us to be nice. Ali answered, “Oh. Does He have a moustache?”
Daddy was explaining to Ali that we need to be kind to the neighbors because God loves them. He was saying God is nice and wants us to be nice. Ali answered, “Oh. Does He have a moustache?”
Ali passed gas at the table and we said, “What do you say Ali?” Her immediate response was, “It wasn’t me. It was Bear-Bear!”
I was reading something funny and was chuckling. Jer heard me and said, “Dustthis tooted?” (Apparently we laugh over that a lot in this household!)
Ali was eating lunch with her daddy and said, “Guess what, at preschool today we had ranch and carrots and I was licking the ranch off my plate and the teacher said not to do that and I told her my daddy taught me to.” (And the sad thing is, he did!)
I asked, “Ali do you like the home schooled girls that come in to help Miss Jenny teach preschool?” Ali replies, “Yes! They don’t have moustaches!”
We asked, “Ali, do you like Boppa? He has a moustache.” She said, “I like just his whole body but not his moustache.” We asked, “What about Grandpa Joel?” She said, “I like him, but not his moustache.” And the same response about Uncle Coco and Uncle Paul.
We all sang Jesus Loves the Little Children to the baby. After we finished Ali said, “You forgot pink!” I said, “Are there pink children?” She said, “Yep!”
Daddy cut his hair with the Flow-bee. Ali didn’t notice his cut until a day or two later. All of a sudden she said, “Daddy, you cut your hair! You look like a boy!” (Did he look like a girl with hair an inch longer?)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Pics of the Week
My guys!!!
Grandpa, known to my kids as "Boppa"
The project my dad and hubby have been working on for the last year. A 3,000 square foot log home with a two-car garage attached. King Jo has peeled the bark off of most of the logs for this house....by hand!
A Heart Overflowing With Praise
I mentioned in my last post that there were many temptations to give in to worry this week. Well, only one day has passed, but already things are looking so much better!
We contacted all of the proper authorities on Monday morning and got our financial stuff taken care of. It turns out that the folks who stole our information did indeed try to use our debit card all weekend. (Isn't it sad that they probably purposely did this just before a weekend so we couldn't take care of it for a couple of days until banks opened up?) But, here's the cool thing: They made a few charges to both e-bay and AOL to "test the card." It turns out these $1 charges get credited back to you since they are just set up to test people's credit accounts and so they get refunded back to your account. Obviously the folks were testing out our info. Then, they tried to make a larger purchase somewhere online and then tried to do an even larger purchase. For reasons totally unknown to us (but known to our God), the card wouldn't work on the bigger purchases. There is no reason it shouldn't have because it worked for the minimal test runs they gave it. I believe with all of my heart that it was God! I believe He was answering our prayers and looking out for us even a day or two before we discovered the fraud and started praying over it! Can God answer our prayers before we even pray them? I believe He can! God is so, so good to us! He blows my mind!
While we will still need to be vigilant about watching our credit report and have learned a lot from this experience, I think the worst of it is over. I can't help but wonder if God allowed this in our lives in order to bless one of you out there too! Maybe one of my blog readers, or one of our friends or family members would have been scammed out of a TON of money if not for the warning to be careful about things like this. Or maybe the steps we took to track the phisher will end in their capture, preventing them from hurting more people.
Thank you for your prayers! Also, my neck is feeling amazing today!
We contacted all of the proper authorities on Monday morning and got our financial stuff taken care of. It turns out that the folks who stole our information did indeed try to use our debit card all weekend. (Isn't it sad that they probably purposely did this just before a weekend so we couldn't take care of it for a couple of days until banks opened up?) But, here's the cool thing: They made a few charges to both e-bay and AOL to "test the card." It turns out these $1 charges get credited back to you since they are just set up to test people's credit accounts and so they get refunded back to your account. Obviously the folks were testing out our info. Then, they tried to make a larger purchase somewhere online and then tried to do an even larger purchase. For reasons totally unknown to us (but known to our God), the card wouldn't work on the bigger purchases. There is no reason it shouldn't have because it worked for the minimal test runs they gave it. I believe with all of my heart that it was God! I believe He was answering our prayers and looking out for us even a day or two before we discovered the fraud and started praying over it! Can God answer our prayers before we even pray them? I believe He can! God is so, so good to us! He blows my mind!
While we will still need to be vigilant about watching our credit report and have learned a lot from this experience, I think the worst of it is over. I can't help but wonder if God allowed this in our lives in order to bless one of you out there too! Maybe one of my blog readers, or one of our friends or family members would have been scammed out of a TON of money if not for the warning to be careful about things like this. Or maybe the steps we took to track the phisher will end in their capture, preventing them from hurting more people.
Thank you for your prayers! Also, my neck is feeling amazing today!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Trying Not to Be Anxious
This week is turning out to be an exercise in trusting God and not giving in to worry. I'll be extra-vulnerable today and share some of my worries:
*Thursday night we were the victims of a phishing scam. We just found out on Sunday evening that the very detailed info we provided online to what we thought was the IRS turned out to be a scam to get our bank info. So, no, we aren't getting a big refund from the IRS but instead will be frantically cancelling our debit cards and watching our credit report like crazy because of the fact that it is now quite likely King Jo's info has been stolen. The e-mail looked and sounded so real and the website it connected us to looked exactly like the real irs.gov site we have visited in the past to print tax forms from. I hope you all will be smarter than we were about things like this!
*There seem to be absolutely zero rentals available in our town and any that happen to come up are usually about double what we can afford. Our landlords recently raised our rent $125 more a month which is an outlandish price for the size of our apartment but they did it because they can since there are virtually no rentals in this town. Will we be stuck in this over-priced shoebox forever?
*My unsaved brother is going on a roadtrip to a dangerous, sin-filled city this week. I wish he was saved.
*Though a rather small worry, Jeremiah has had a rash (MCV) for many months that is not going away but is now spreading. There doesn't seem to be a cure for it unless we go to the doctor and have the bumps frozen off again (which doesn't go over well with an almost-two-year old!)
*My neck has been giving me major troubles and yet frequent chiropractic visits just aren't affordable for us right now.
In spite of all these things weighing on the brain, I hear that still small voice whispering in my soul. "Do you trust ME? Am I sovereign over all? Am I sovereign even over the internet sphere? Can I deliver you from an enemy you don't even know and can't even see? Am I truly your provider? Aren't MY plans perfect even if your plans for your life get changed somehow?"
I'm reminded to be thankful. It's not easy when trials come but the Word says,
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everthing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7 (emphasis mine)
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19
So I am thankful that today my mind is focused on utter dependance on Jesus instead of on the usual merely good things I'm focused on. I'm thankful for the hope of Heaven, my true home, as I live in a world right now where there are always hardships and obstacles to overcome. I'm thankful for the unity my husband and I could have in prayer throughout the day as we pled for God's help and protection in our identity theft trial. I'm thankful that God is using these circumstances to build our trust in Him and glorify Himself as we share answered prayers with our children and unsaved friends and neighbors. I'm thankful that God has so blessed us and cared for us in the past as a loving Father that we can trust that He will act and work out all of these situations. (Nearly every time I sit in that beautiful minivan I'm reminded how tangibly God answers prayer!) I'm thankful for the Body of believers who can share our burdens and pray for us.
If you would, please pray with us today that this whole identity thing will be resolved swiftly. Pray that God would open up the right rental in the right timing and give us patience to wait, pray that my youngest brother would come to Christ, and pray for Jeremiah's bumps and my neck. And if there is anything you are worrying over that you would like us to pray for, please let me know in the comments.
*Thursday night we were the victims of a phishing scam. We just found out on Sunday evening that the very detailed info we provided online to what we thought was the IRS turned out to be a scam to get our bank info. So, no, we aren't getting a big refund from the IRS but instead will be frantically cancelling our debit cards and watching our credit report like crazy because of the fact that it is now quite likely King Jo's info has been stolen. The e-mail looked and sounded so real and the website it connected us to looked exactly like the real irs.gov site we have visited in the past to print tax forms from. I hope you all will be smarter than we were about things like this!
*There seem to be absolutely zero rentals available in our town and any that happen to come up are usually about double what we can afford. Our landlords recently raised our rent $125 more a month which is an outlandish price for the size of our apartment but they did it because they can since there are virtually no rentals in this town. Will we be stuck in this over-priced shoebox forever?
*My unsaved brother is going on a roadtrip to a dangerous, sin-filled city this week. I wish he was saved.
*Though a rather small worry, Jeremiah has had a rash (MCV) for many months that is not going away but is now spreading. There doesn't seem to be a cure for it unless we go to the doctor and have the bumps frozen off again (which doesn't go over well with an almost-two-year old!)
*My neck has been giving me major troubles and yet frequent chiropractic visits just aren't affordable for us right now.
In spite of all these things weighing on the brain, I hear that still small voice whispering in my soul. "Do you trust ME? Am I sovereign over all? Am I sovereign even over the internet sphere? Can I deliver you from an enemy you don't even know and can't even see? Am I truly your provider? Aren't MY plans perfect even if your plans for your life get changed somehow?"
I'm reminded to be thankful. It's not easy when trials come but the Word says,
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everthing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7 (emphasis mine)
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19
So I am thankful that today my mind is focused on utter dependance on Jesus instead of on the usual merely good things I'm focused on. I'm thankful for the hope of Heaven, my true home, as I live in a world right now where there are always hardships and obstacles to overcome. I'm thankful for the unity my husband and I could have in prayer throughout the day as we pled for God's help and protection in our identity theft trial. I'm thankful that God is using these circumstances to build our trust in Him and glorify Himself as we share answered prayers with our children and unsaved friends and neighbors. I'm thankful that God has so blessed us and cared for us in the past as a loving Father that we can trust that He will act and work out all of these situations. (Nearly every time I sit in that beautiful minivan I'm reminded how tangibly God answers prayer!) I'm thankful for the Body of believers who can share our burdens and pray for us.
If you would, please pray with us today that this whole identity thing will be resolved swiftly. Pray that God would open up the right rental in the right timing and give us patience to wait, pray that my youngest brother would come to Christ, and pray for Jeremiah's bumps and my neck. And if there is anything you are worrying over that you would like us to pray for, please let me know in the comments.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Three 3 and Under---Simplifying Parenthood
Any parent knows that there about a zillion parenting books, magazine, methods, and theories out there. It takes all of about 2 seconds to discover that much of the advice is unbibilical, contradictory, or just plain confusing.
With so many different ways of parenting, it can be overwhelming and/or confusing for the new parent to wade through it all and decide how they will raise their kids. Those of us who have a tendency towards perfectionism can easily become the hyper-first-time-parent.
Believe me, I've been there and done that! My mom and other experienced moms, I'm sure, got a kick out of me. Both hubby and I were terrified to leave Ali the first time and worried about her the entire hour we were on our date. She was 3 months old and we left her with my MOM!!! I was totally into the whole infant-potty-training thing for a while with Ali too until I began to realize it was more about Mommy Training, and with moving cross-country and traveling as summer missionaries, it just didn't work for our lives at that point. Parenting was so new to us and we wanted to do EVERYTHING right. I even had the gall to look at screaming toddlers in the grocery store and declare to myself, "My children will NEVER act like that!"
If there's one thing I've gained from older, wiser moms, it's to keep it simple and RELAX! Whereas I used to wonder how I would manage Wal-Mart trips when my second baby came along, my pastor's wife would talk about how she always took her 4 little kids to Wal-Mart alone, no problem. When I would agonize over leaving 10-month old Ali in the church nursery even though she never cried over me leaving, she would remind me that Ali would definitely live and be fine! I look back on those days and chuckle now that I have three. Now if someone offers to hold my baby, I am overjoyed for the little break instead of hovering and watching their every move! With each baby I've had, I've been sooooo much more relaxed and confident in my parenting. I realize that there are no perfect parents and I have a tendency to go to the "experts" a lot less and instead focus on what's really important. I've said on my blog before that with the first pregnancy you have "What to Expect When You're Expecting" memorized word-for-word. With the second you may glance at it once a month. With the third you may glance at it twice (when morning sickness is kickin' your behind and you need some refresher ideas for coping, and when you are dying to go into labor and want to obsess over labor signs).
Last night I was flipping through some of the parenting books on my shelf and realized that if I was still a hyper-parent I'd be carefully logging sleeping times for all of my kids and analyzing their sleep schedules to death. I'd be doing a potty journal for Jeremiah, desperately trying to get Ali to trace letters and learn to read before her peers and trying to daily calculate whether or not the kids had eaten so many servings of proteins and carbs and fruits, etc. etc. But because I'm no longer a hyper-parent, over-analyzing and over-reacting I am going to be handing a lot of those books off to the thrift store. Don't misunderstand me. I love books, reading, and research. I have recently gained soooo much encouragement from the book "Raising Your Spirited Child." However, now, instead of going to the "experts" for advice or parenting theories and ideas, I'm more likely to go to the Word of God first, which is where I should have started in the first place. I'm more inclined to focus on training in character and not worry about the little day-to-day things or things that I can't control. My head hits the pillow and I'm asleep istantly instead of getting up all the time to check if the baby is breathing or if they have died of SIDS. I laugh at Parenting magazines that tell you everything you should be doing as a parent and feature $80 designer onesies and $500 strollers that you NEED to have.
Parenting is a very hard task. It takes committment and guts and utter dependence on the Lord. But parenting really can be more simple than we Americans tend to make it these days. When I start to feel pressured to over-analyze or over-do parenting, I remember that people have been parenting since the days of Adam and Eve and they have done it without manuals and theories and gadgets of every kind. I doubt Mary and Joseph obsessed over their children's baby acne, nap schedules, or feeding patterns. I look back at the pioneers who settled out west and realize that instead of analyzing parenthood, they just did it! They had real concerns, like how they would keep their kids fed and clothed, and they sacrificed and were willing to work hard for them. One of my friends, Susan, e-mailed me today and said that people ask her all the time "how she does it" with 4 kids, two of whom are twins, and one of whom is just a year younger than the twins. She said, "I just do it!" It doesn't take special talent or incredible amounts of patience. You just roll up your sleeves and get it done!!! And invariably you learn and you grow as you go!
Yesterday my good friend Amy and I took 7 kids ages one-month to four year to the swimming pool, in strollers and on little bikes, and we had a great time! Then we walked all the way back to her house and made lunch for them. Of course it took work and lots of reminding the kids not to ride in the middle of the street or not to run in the pool area but the kids did awesome and we all had fun. We got more than a few wide-eyed looks from other people though! I wish I had taken my camera to capture the way the 6 little ones held hands and formed a chain to walk from the locker room to the pool! As I have a tendency to do these days, I forgot pants for Jer to wear after swimming and undies for Ali, but it was a very warm day and it was no big deal. The more kids you have, the less you beat yourself up about little things like that!
Letting go of some of those things that don't really matter can make parenting so much simpler. While I still can't stand sticky hands and require my kids to eat in the kitchen, I don't mind if the house is messy or they get covered in dirt and mud when they go outside. I don't obsess over whether or not Justus should or shouldn't be sleeping in our bed. That's where he sleeps best and we love cuddling up next to him, so we do it! Jeremiah was a late-crawler and walker but instead of wondering if something was wrong with him or rushing him off to the doctor I counted my blessings that he was still immobile for so long and he eventually took off with a bang and hasn't stopped since! My kids may or may not be doing what their peers or doing, but I don't care anymore because I'm enjoying the ride! I've learned that this stage whips by with lightning speed so I need to take as much time as I can to cuddle them, kiss them, tickle them, and read to them, and most importantly: teach them God's Word.
So lighten up and relax and life will be a lot simpler! Throw out the parenting magazines that just make you feel like a bad parent, get rid of the books that haven't helped you a bit, let the kids get dirty and play, give yourself some grace, don't panic over the minor scrapes and bumps, and seek the advice of older, wiser moms!
*My missionary brother, Colter, gave me this Guatamalan sling. Justus is the first of my babies to actually enjoy riding in the sling!
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Chief End of Man
I have been wanting to post this video for a year now! Now that we have DSL we can! Ali's Grandpa ("Boppa") was so proud of her he tried to get to her to say it in front of all his Presbyterian friends, but of course she refused!
We have DSL!!!
You may be thinking, "Welcome to 2008!" I know. I know. But I didn't grow up with internet and had to figure out how to get an e-mail account when I was in my Freshman year of college. Since then we've always had dial-up, so this is something really new and really cool for us! You may actually see some videos of my kids on my blog occasionally now! Last night we had fun looking at various YouTube videos (I love America's funniest home videos) and catching up on the videos I was never able to see before (Girl Talk's Friday Funnies and my friend Kristin's videos of her kids), etc.
It's amazing how fast I can load my favorite blogs now and upload pictures and check e-mail, etc. Checking the grocery flyers and shopping online will be so much easier now! Yeah hurray! And we're only paying less than $2 more for DSL than we were for dial-up thanks to a new deal in our area.
It's amazing how fast I can load my favorite blogs now and upload pictures and check e-mail, etc. Checking the grocery flyers and shopping online will be so much easier now! Yeah hurray! And we're only paying less than $2 more for DSL than we were for dial-up thanks to a new deal in our area.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
10 Things I'm Thankful Jesus Saved Me From:
I found Abraham Piper's blog through my new blog-buddies' site, A Reforming Mom. I love his post entitled, "10 things we don’t mention in worship songs, but that I’m happy God saved me from."
Here's My List of 10 Things I'm Glad Jesus Spared Me From....
1. Dating in High School (I would have made so many mistakes....)
2. A Car Accident Today (someone jammed on their brakes and turned right in front of me and I discovered the van brakes work well in a pinch!)
3. Extreme poverty in Childhood
4. Rape or Molestation
5. Homelessness
6. Having an Alcoholic Father
7. Miscarriage
8. The Death of a Parent in My Youth
9. Belonging to a Cult or Being Blinded by False Teachings
10. Being Married to an Abuser
(I'm not implying that if you have walked through some of these trials you are lesser of a person or less blessed by God. I'm merely pointing out that these are some trials I'm thankful God hasn't given me. I have had plenty of other trials to deal with and being that I'm still young I could still experience some of these things but I'm grateful for the grace God has given thus far in not allowing these things in my life!)
Here's My List of 10 Things I'm Glad Jesus Spared Me From....
1. Dating in High School (I would have made so many mistakes....)
2. A Car Accident Today (someone jammed on their brakes and turned right in front of me and I discovered the van brakes work well in a pinch!)
3. Extreme poverty in Childhood
4. Rape or Molestation
5. Homelessness
6. Having an Alcoholic Father
7. Miscarriage
8. The Death of a Parent in My Youth
9. Belonging to a Cult or Being Blinded by False Teachings
10. Being Married to an Abuser
(I'm not implying that if you have walked through some of these trials you are lesser of a person or less blessed by God. I'm merely pointing out that these are some trials I'm thankful God hasn't given me. I have had plenty of other trials to deal with and being that I'm still young I could still experience some of these things but I'm grateful for the grace God has given thus far in not allowing these things in my life!)
Parody
If you have followed my predicaments with our interesting neighbors, you will want to check out the song I wrote for Julie's parody contest a couple of weeks ago. I didn't win, but I did blow off some steam after the whole incident with picking up their daughter's poo in the yard....
Check out my song lyrics.
Check out my song lyrics.
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