I finally took the plunge and got an iphone about a month ago. I started keeping my prayer journal in the notes section and I have really gained a lot of insight into how God continues to prove himself faithful in my life. On June 8, 2012 I prayed that God would give me wisdom on how to love my kids in the way that He has designed for them to receive love. He answered me in a big way through one of my favorite friends.
Loving Your Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk
My friend and I have been walking out our motherhood ministry with each other for about six years now. She has always been the one mother that I have desired to model my mothering after because of her patience, gentle spirit, and consistent approach to loving her children. So when she told me about Loving Your Kids On Purpose by Danny Silk, I had no other choice but to listen to her.
You see, I had been having minor issues with each of my four kids which was adding up to one major impending break down! When I asked God for wisdom I had been chewing on James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." So, I decided that my usual cry of "God help me!" needed to be changed to "God please give me wisdom!"
So, in swims my friend (we were at the pool when she imparted this God given wisdom to me :) and she starts sharing about this new parenting method that she's been implementing and learning about. I new that she was onto something so I went home and started researching Danny Silk and listening to YouTube clips and I bought the book and devoured the information right away and began changing my parenting.
The first chunk of wisdom that God has given me so far from this book and this ministry on how to love my kids on purpose is to stop punishing my kids and start loving them by sharing control with them through discipliship.
You see God tells all of us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves right? Right. So, my kids and my husband are literally my closest neighbor, which means I get the most practice with loving like Jesus did right in my own home.
However I have been really making a mess of that the past few years due to my drill Sargent attitude of "I'm the mom and you'll do what I say with a smile and a yes mommy." So this book got me thinking about that, and I was thinking about God and how as my Dad he doesn't treat me like I've been treating my kids....
He has given me two super important gifts in my life that outweigh the rest. The gift of his Son Jesus Christ, and the gift of free will. He doesn't make me love him or obey him with yelling, screaming, coercion, or force. He instead gives me the free will to choose Him and His ways. He has shown me that His ways are more attractive and provide more comfort, peace, and joy than any other way. He has shown that He is faithful, consistent, and can be trusted with my heart. So, I made the choice about a decade ago to give him my heart and He has not let me down. Over the past ten years He has desired a relationship with me and has used His Holy Spirit, other people, and circumstances to show me how much he loves me.
I want my kids to see Him in me by loving them, like He loves me. I used to think that God was constantly mad at me and waiting for me to mess up. But I have since learned that the greatest gift he gave us truly is His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. It really is true that Jesus took all of the punishment that we deserved for sinning and endured the pain that was due us on the cross. Which literally means God's not mad at us! He already made the provision for our sins to be paid for and we can't pay for them again. He's not in the business of punishing his children for their sin anymore and I don't want to be either.
How does this relate to our kids? God doesn't punish us, so we shouldn't punish our kids. When Immanuel, God with us, came down to walk among us and live like we do, he discipled, he didn't punish, he loved, he didn't withhold, he saved, he didn't destroy. I want to love like Jesus does. In allowing my children to exercise their free will -while providing acceptable choices- I am able to better control my self. By erasing the desire to control their actions and embracing the call to disciple them I am learning that the love of my Dad can truly flow through me and to them.
Thank you God for giving me wisdom on how to love my kids like You have created them to be loved. Stay tuned for more nuggets of wisdom that God has shared with me through Loving Your Kids On Purpose by Danny Silk.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Call for Help, Make me Content
May 25, 2010
God,
I need your help, as always, once again and unless I die in the next ten minutes, this won’t be the last time. So, as you know I had a garage sale two weekends ago. I made sixty seven dollars. Which isn’t great, but hey it’s something. Well, as I was sitting there with no customers I had this bright idea to bring down all of my stockpiled razors and contact solution. The next customer who came by snatched all of them up and took down my number to call me when I got more. So, these past two weeks I have become a little on the obsessive side with couponing again. Of course at the neglect of the house and more importantly my kids. I’m tired of feeling like a failure as a mother and wife. I know how to change, kind of, and I have tried it, I mean I made my cards and I’m trying to do them, but I still feel so behind. I feel like I’m not good at anything tangible. I know it’s really selfish to say this, but I want to be good at something that other people can measure. So, there I said it, the fear of man and the desire to have their praise is still alive and well in my heart. I want to kill it. I want it gone. I don’t want to care what they think about me. I only want to care what You think about me. But there’s this part of me that wants to be successful, well off, wealthy, liked, and popular. There’s this other part of me that wants to be, patient, kind, not rude, not self seeking, gentle, non judgmental, and content. I feel like these two parts of me are constantly at war. I can say and type all day long that I just want to be like You and I want You to live through me…. And those sayings are all fine and good. But, if they were really true, then I would do something about it. And that’s where I need your help. I believe those things in my mind but not in my heart. If I truly believed them in my heart, I believe I would do them, consistently. How do I stop caring so much about money, success, and ultimately how I am viewed by others. I crave their positive comments about my achievements. How do I stop craving that?
For example, with coupons, I want them to think I am a good home economist and that I manage our finances well. I want them to think that I am a savvy shopper and the best bargain hunter they know. I want them to think that I not only know how to stay within a budget but I do it! Which we all know is a farce, because I don’t stay within the 400 dollar budget, ever.
When I used to play volleyball and basketball I stayed before and after practice to get good. And I wanted to be really good, so I practiced, a lot. But, at both of those sports no matter how hard I practiced I was still never the best. There was always someone who was better than me. And for all of the hard work and practice that I put into those two sports, I never once received something tangible (e.g. a college scholarship). Actually, upon rereading this I did receive a plaque for winning female athlete of the year my senior year. That plaque has dust on it in the closet somewhere. I know that instead, I received life lessons and immeasureable rewards that are still useful today. Although I can’t tell You what they are… but I’m sure that I received them…at some point. So, I guess I’m feeling a little of the same frustration now. My practice in motherhood and wifehood is the emotional equivalent of running ten suicides back to back. I feel tired, out of breath, and like I’m about to pass out at any moment. But I guess if those two sports taught me one thing, it’s that quitters never win. I know that no matter what, I won’t quit. So, with that being said, I guess I’m going to get my lazy ass off the couch and clean the house. Thanks for the pep talk :)
One final thought,
If you can hold it, if you can feel it, your reward for achieving, then the trophy you earned will be constantly misleading.
The prize for the work that you self righteously earn will sit on your shelf and cause your heart to burn
With lust and envy and strife for more so that you can earn more accolades like those earned before.
If you can’t hold it, if you can’t feel it, then your reward for achieving will consistently and forever have a much deeper meaning.
Whatever the prize for your accomplishment is due desire the one that does not praise you. Instead let your heart be set on the Lord who gave you the gift to earn such a reward.
He will do the praising when your time is due so stop and ask Him what He wants from you.
His answer will probably most likely be, listen, love, and follow Me.
Love you Dad
Tammy
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Top Five Grocery Saving Tips
I was just reading my post on gratefulness that I wrote almost two years ago! Wow, what a journey I have been through with kicking the habit of excessive coupon shopping. I have had a few seasons this past year where God told me to stop couponing all together. And I did, and those times were much needed. I thank God that he has truly shown me (and is still showing me) all that I have to be grateful for. I am still couponing though, and I can honestly say that God has faithfully shown me the balancing act of using coupons to save money while only buying the things my family needs. He truly is an awesome God! These next tips are the top five tips God has given me wisdom about that have truly shown me how to save money without sacrificing the ever important relationships in my life.
1. Make a Menu Plan.
This is crucial. Go through your pantry, your fridge, and your freezer to discover what ingredients you already have. An excellent internet source to help with the menu planning process is www.supercook.com. You simply type in the ingredients that you already have in your pantry and it produces thousands of recipes from all across the web that you can use with what you already have! With my personal plan I try and come up with as many meals as I possibly can with what we already have. Don't forget to plan for leftovers (if your family will eat them of course).
2. Save any and all Grocery Sales fliers that come in your mailbox or newspaper.
I know some of you may be thinking, "What, that junk mail?" Let me just tell you a few things about that 'junk mail.' Most grocery stores within a decent radius of your house will send you a sales circular in the mail with all of their loss leaders. Loss leaders are items that stores advertise that they are willing to take a loss on in order to get you through their doors. They are banking on the fact that when you get their to pick up that loss leader chicken, pasta, and toilet paper, you'll also go ahead and do the rest of your grocery shopping with them. But, here's the kicker, if you are truly trying to save money and really want to maximize your grocery budget, then only get the loss leaders at each individual store.
So what you would do, is go through the ad and find the items that are on sale or at rock bottom prices and build your menus around these items.
Now this is where some problems arise, because I can almost hear you saying, "So, what that means I have to go to like ten different stores to get the good sales, who has time for that?!"
Amen, sister. And that's why I thank God for Wal-mart. Wal-mart price matches. So, this means you can take your Albertson's ad to walmart, buy the same size, and quantity of pasta that's listed, show your cashier the ad (before she rings up the item) and recieve the pasta that Albertson's has advertised at Walmart.
Now, Walmart has recently changed their price matching policy to include stores with club cards. I highly suggest carrying a copy of walmarts price matching policy (which you can find here at walmarts website or by googling walmart price matching policy). That a way if you have any problems you can have their written policy as back up.
Now if your like me, you price match anything and everything. I've price matched everything from laundry detergent to green beans (yes they can price match produce but most cashiers that I have encountered do need manager assistance with this one). Please have your ad ready and on the right page for each store, also remember to be patient and allow others to go ahead of you who might only have a few things. Price matching can get tedious if you encounter a cashier who does not know how to price match. Don't hesitate to ask the cashier before your transaction has begun if they are comfortable and familiar with price matching.
3. Match coupons with sales ads to maximize your savings.
I would highly suggest saving every coupon that comes through your doors. Now, I didn't say clipping every coupon, just saving it. So, if you go through the Sunday paper and clip out only the coupons you know you will use, that's fine. But save the unclipped parts of the insert. I suggest this because sometimes there are sales that, when combined with coupons, make items free or cheap. For example, let's say that your all time favorite toothpaste is Crest, So, of course you clip Crest coupons but you usually just throw the Colgate coupons out. I am suggesting to save the Colgate coupons just in case there is a sale for free Colgate. Many coupons come out for items that are free or cheap that you may not like or use, but if you were to "buy" these items when they are free or cheap with your coupons you can make a charitable donation to a church or charity without having to spend money!
You can also access store specific sales and coupon match ups every week at Afullcup.com, Hotcouponworld.com, and many other blogs across the internet. Two of my favorites are Moneysavingmom.com and Commonsensewithmoney.com .These sites have been invaluable to me because they do the work of matching the store ad with current coupons so that I don't have to do the legwork.
4. Invest time in learning the in's and outs of store incentive programs, such as the Extra Care Bucks with CVS, or Register Rewards with Walgreens.
These rewards programs are free to join, but do require a minimal amount of time to learn how they work. There are many blogs and the above mentioned coupon sites detail how to start saving with these programs. I have basically been able to get all of my household toiletry and hygiene items free for over three years now, because of these generous rewards systems. They are definitly worth learning and mastering.
5. Serve Whole Foods.
My defination of whole foods is anything that comes from the ground, has a mother or can be created from ingredients that you can pronounce.
Now what I am about to say is completely my opinion, it is not proven and it's definitely not fact.
My observations have led me to believe that all of the added "extras" in foods that have been processed in a factory lead to wanting more food, wanting more food with "extras" and ultimately overeating. I find that when I eat foods that come from the ground (fruits and vegetables) I am less likely to overeat. So, I suggest buying whole foods from Farmer's Markets when they are in season, or if this is not an option then buying them from the grocery store when they are in season.
If you have extra time, or just like to cook, I would highly suggest experimenting with making your own bread, breakfast foods, pasta, tortillas, bagels, cereal, granola bars, etc. This can also be a highly effective way to cut cost in the grocery budget.
And the Bonus Tip if you are truly committed to staying on a budget than this tip is especially for you. Decide what your budget will be for groceries and take that amount of money out of your checking account in cash each week or month depending on your preference. You may only spend the cash you have taken out on groceries, but once it is gone for the week (or month) it's gone. I am currently practicing this and as we speak I have six dollars to last me 9 days! Thank God I have Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards to supplement this or I definately wouldn't make it.
Please feel free to comment with any questions you may have.
1. Make a Menu Plan.
This is crucial. Go through your pantry, your fridge, and your freezer to discover what ingredients you already have. An excellent internet source to help with the menu planning process is www.supercook.com. You simply type in the ingredients that you already have in your pantry and it produces thousands of recipes from all across the web that you can use with what you already have! With my personal plan I try and come up with as many meals as I possibly can with what we already have. Don't forget to plan for leftovers (if your family will eat them of course).
2. Save any and all Grocery Sales fliers that come in your mailbox or newspaper.
I know some of you may be thinking, "What, that junk mail?" Let me just tell you a few things about that 'junk mail.' Most grocery stores within a decent radius of your house will send you a sales circular in the mail with all of their loss leaders. Loss leaders are items that stores advertise that they are willing to take a loss on in order to get you through their doors. They are banking on the fact that when you get their to pick up that loss leader chicken, pasta, and toilet paper, you'll also go ahead and do the rest of your grocery shopping with them. But, here's the kicker, if you are truly trying to save money and really want to maximize your grocery budget, then only get the loss leaders at each individual store.
So what you would do, is go through the ad and find the items that are on sale or at rock bottom prices and build your menus around these items.
Now this is where some problems arise, because I can almost hear you saying, "So, what that means I have to go to like ten different stores to get the good sales, who has time for that?!"
Amen, sister. And that's why I thank God for Wal-mart. Wal-mart price matches. So, this means you can take your Albertson's ad to walmart, buy the same size, and quantity of pasta that's listed, show your cashier the ad (before she rings up the item) and recieve the pasta that Albertson's has advertised at Walmart.
Now, Walmart has recently changed their price matching policy to include stores with club cards. I highly suggest carrying a copy of walmarts price matching policy (which you can find here at walmarts website or by googling walmart price matching policy). That a way if you have any problems you can have their written policy as back up.
Now if your like me, you price match anything and everything. I've price matched everything from laundry detergent to green beans (yes they can price match produce but most cashiers that I have encountered do need manager assistance with this one). Please have your ad ready and on the right page for each store, also remember to be patient and allow others to go ahead of you who might only have a few things. Price matching can get tedious if you encounter a cashier who does not know how to price match. Don't hesitate to ask the cashier before your transaction has begun if they are comfortable and familiar with price matching.
3. Match coupons with sales ads to maximize your savings.
I would highly suggest saving every coupon that comes through your doors. Now, I didn't say clipping every coupon, just saving it. So, if you go through the Sunday paper and clip out only the coupons you know you will use, that's fine. But save the unclipped parts of the insert. I suggest this because sometimes there are sales that, when combined with coupons, make items free or cheap. For example, let's say that your all time favorite toothpaste is Crest, So, of course you clip Crest coupons but you usually just throw the Colgate coupons out. I am suggesting to save the Colgate coupons just in case there is a sale for free Colgate. Many coupons come out for items that are free or cheap that you may not like or use, but if you were to "buy" these items when they are free or cheap with your coupons you can make a charitable donation to a church or charity without having to spend money!
You can also access store specific sales and coupon match ups every week at Afullcup.com, Hotcouponworld.com, and many other blogs across the internet. Two of my favorites are Moneysavingmom.com and Commonsensewithmoney.com .These sites have been invaluable to me because they do the work of matching the store ad with current coupons so that I don't have to do the legwork.
4. Invest time in learning the in's and outs of store incentive programs, such as the Extra Care Bucks with CVS, or Register Rewards with Walgreens.
These rewards programs are free to join, but do require a minimal amount of time to learn how they work. There are many blogs and the above mentioned coupon sites detail how to start saving with these programs. I have basically been able to get all of my household toiletry and hygiene items free for over three years now, because of these generous rewards systems. They are definitly worth learning and mastering.
5. Serve Whole Foods.
My defination of whole foods is anything that comes from the ground, has a mother or can be created from ingredients that you can pronounce.
Now what I am about to say is completely my opinion, it is not proven and it's definitely not fact.
My observations have led me to believe that all of the added "extras" in foods that have been processed in a factory lead to wanting more food, wanting more food with "extras" and ultimately overeating. I find that when I eat foods that come from the ground (fruits and vegetables) I am less likely to overeat. So, I suggest buying whole foods from Farmer's Markets when they are in season, or if this is not an option then buying them from the grocery store when they are in season.
If you have extra time, or just like to cook, I would highly suggest experimenting with making your own bread, breakfast foods, pasta, tortillas, bagels, cereal, granola bars, etc. This can also be a highly effective way to cut cost in the grocery budget.
And the Bonus Tip if you are truly committed to staying on a budget than this tip is especially for you. Decide what your budget will be for groceries and take that amount of money out of your checking account in cash each week or month depending on your preference. You may only spend the cash you have taken out on groceries, but once it is gone for the week (or month) it's gone. I am currently practicing this and as we speak I have six dollars to last me 9 days! Thank God I have Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards to supplement this or I definately wouldn't make it.
Please feel free to comment with any questions you may have.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Gratefullness
Tip # 3: Be Grateful For What You Have
I went to the grocery store yesterday to buy a few items that we were in semi need of. Buy semi need I mean that we don't absolutely have to have them this week. The boys and I are heading to Oklahoma on Saturday and hubba Bubba will be following Sunday. So, grocery shopping for this week was to be limited if any due to the fact that we will all be gone for two weeks. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. I found myself yesterday in the middle of Von's with two screaming babies,(who were absolutely worn out, seeing as how we had been in the store for three hours), coupons strewn about all over my basket, and a cart full of twenty five miscellaneous items we absolutely did not need. I rationalized in my head (as I always do) that buying these twenty five unneeded items was a great deal and just fine because at checkout I would be receiving a coupon for twenty dollars off of my next order for purchasing the correct twenty five items. My percentage saved was well over 50% (as it usually is) and my total was only thirty six dollars, yet somehow, the excitement, the thrill and the happiness I usually felt about this feat was missing. My kids were screaming with chip crumbs (from the bag I had to purchase to keep them occupied so I could continue scheming) all over their face, tear stained cheeks, and jelly stains on their clothes (due to the pb & j lunch they were forced to eat in the basket, so I could have more time scheming). It hit me when I looked at them that something was terribly wrong with this picture. It's one thing to take the kids grocery shopping, this is a normal every week habit that most moms inevitably face. It's an entirely different thing to drag the kids from store to store all because of my lust to hit the next sale, and the next savings promotion to buy items we absolutely do not need. When I got home, I took the kids to bed,realizing they had both peed through their diapers, which made me feel even worse and it was at that moment I decided I wasn't going to unload the car this time. Bub got home a little while later and I explained the situation and he abruptly agreed with the unthinkable that I had been contemplating: I needed to take it all back. So, I jumped in the car and I did just that. It was hard, because although I didn't need anything I bought, I did want almost some of it. But truth be told, I spent thirty six dollars we did not have, the food I bought wasn't even food we really liked, and we will be gone for two weeks so we already have plenty of food to last until we are gone and for a few days when we get back. More importantly though, my addiction to shopping and saving with coupons is hurting my kids and our relationship and interrupting the valuable time I get to spend with them. I only went shopping yesterday to feed my addiction.
I religiously go to the store on Mondays. In fact, it's something I really look forward to. I discovered hard core coupon shopping, savings, and strategies about a year ago and have been a junkie ever since. I say this jokingly, but honestly I am in the throws of a shopping addiction. I used to spend my shopping time with my mom and sister at Wal-mart. I constantly brought home knick knacks, clothes, and basically anything that was on sale. I really prided myself on being such a savvy shopper. Then we moved to California and our budget got tighter and I soon realized that my Wal- mart shopping excursions would have to come to a screeching halt if we were going to pay our bills. Not only did I lose my favorite shopping partners, I also had to shun my favorite store. I adapted and I soon discovered the sheer awesomeness of coupons. I researched and read how to maximize my savings and with coupons and kids in tow I began going on what I like to call, "Monday Mania," or in other words my weekly trip to the grocery stores. Coupons flew, tempers flailed but I braved the storm, every single week as I hauled my boys around the stores determined to save money. The coupon craze and the incredible savings it produced enticed me to spend hours preparing for my shopping trips, cutting coupons, and toting my boys in the grocery cart for hours on end. I have known this is all madness and I have been disheartened by how to stop the mania, yet still save the money for quite some time now.
But, thank God for epiphany's! My husband asked me to read an excerpt from a lecture by Mother Teresa that she gave for winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. As I sat there, reading this lecture allowed, I began to realize just how much my family and I really have been blessed with. She spoke of a man who she had rescued off of the streets of Calcutta, India who had been half eaten with worms. She brought him back to the home to care for him, and in his gratefulness, knowing that he was about to die, he said, "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for." This man, the poorest of the poor, with absolutely nothing to speak of, with a half eaten body, still had something to be grateful for.
Gratefulness is not a gift, it is a choice. This is the epiphany for me. My shopping addiction is so petty in comparison to Mother Teresa's countless acts of generosity, love, and gratefulness. I realize now that the path to beat this coupon craze along with its' shopping addiction is to be grateful for what I have. I have a tendency to accumulate more and more food, toiletries, and paper products than I know what to do with (due to coupons and sales). I spend so much time planning and conniving over how to get more stuff that I never implement a successful plan to use what I already have. The newest items in the sales flyer's are prizes that I must have no matter the cost to my kids, to my husband, or to myself. This is ungratefulness! I am unwilling to be content with what I have, or in some cases, what I do not have simply because I am not in the habit of being grateful.
My prayer, my petition, and my hearts desire, God, is that you will help me to always choose contentment with what is in my pantry over lust for what is in the sales ad, that you will help to put on gratefulness for a family to feed rather than ungratefulness for our ill perceived lack. Help me to be wise in the decisions my husband has entrusted me with when it comes to grocery shopping, coupon clipping, and saving money. Help me to rely on you to supply all my needs according to your riches and glory.
I am choosing gratefulness today, I love you,
Tammy Hook
I went to the grocery store yesterday to buy a few items that we were in semi need of. Buy semi need I mean that we don't absolutely have to have them this week. The boys and I are heading to Oklahoma on Saturday and hubba Bubba will be following Sunday. So, grocery shopping for this week was to be limited if any due to the fact that we will all be gone for two weeks. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. I found myself yesterday in the middle of Von's with two screaming babies,(who were absolutely worn out, seeing as how we had been in the store for three hours), coupons strewn about all over my basket, and a cart full of twenty five miscellaneous items we absolutely did not need. I rationalized in my head (as I always do) that buying these twenty five unneeded items was a great deal and just fine because at checkout I would be receiving a coupon for twenty dollars off of my next order for purchasing the correct twenty five items. My percentage saved was well over 50% (as it usually is) and my total was only thirty six dollars, yet somehow, the excitement, the thrill and the happiness I usually felt about this feat was missing. My kids were screaming with chip crumbs (from the bag I had to purchase to keep them occupied so I could continue scheming) all over their face, tear stained cheeks, and jelly stains on their clothes (due to the pb & j lunch they were forced to eat in the basket, so I could have more time scheming). It hit me when I looked at them that something was terribly wrong with this picture. It's one thing to take the kids grocery shopping, this is a normal every week habit that most moms inevitably face. It's an entirely different thing to drag the kids from store to store all because of my lust to hit the next sale, and the next savings promotion to buy items we absolutely do not need. When I got home, I took the kids to bed,realizing they had both peed through their diapers, which made me feel even worse and it was at that moment I decided I wasn't going to unload the car this time. Bub got home a little while later and I explained the situation and he abruptly agreed with the unthinkable that I had been contemplating: I needed to take it all back. So, I jumped in the car and I did just that. It was hard, because although I didn't need anything I bought, I did want almost some of it. But truth be told, I spent thirty six dollars we did not have, the food I bought wasn't even food we really liked, and we will be gone for two weeks so we already have plenty of food to last until we are gone and for a few days when we get back. More importantly though, my addiction to shopping and saving with coupons is hurting my kids and our relationship and interrupting the valuable time I get to spend with them. I only went shopping yesterday to feed my addiction.
I religiously go to the store on Mondays. In fact, it's something I really look forward to. I discovered hard core coupon shopping, savings, and strategies about a year ago and have been a junkie ever since. I say this jokingly, but honestly I am in the throws of a shopping addiction. I used to spend my shopping time with my mom and sister at Wal-mart. I constantly brought home knick knacks, clothes, and basically anything that was on sale. I really prided myself on being such a savvy shopper. Then we moved to California and our budget got tighter and I soon realized that my Wal- mart shopping excursions would have to come to a screeching halt if we were going to pay our bills. Not only did I lose my favorite shopping partners, I also had to shun my favorite store. I adapted and I soon discovered the sheer awesomeness of coupons. I researched and read how to maximize my savings and with coupons and kids in tow I began going on what I like to call, "Monday Mania," or in other words my weekly trip to the grocery stores. Coupons flew, tempers flailed but I braved the storm, every single week as I hauled my boys around the stores determined to save money. The coupon craze and the incredible savings it produced enticed me to spend hours preparing for my shopping trips, cutting coupons, and toting my boys in the grocery cart for hours on end. I have known this is all madness and I have been disheartened by how to stop the mania, yet still save the money for quite some time now.
But, thank God for epiphany's! My husband asked me to read an excerpt from a lecture by Mother Teresa that she gave for winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. As I sat there, reading this lecture allowed, I began to realize just how much my family and I really have been blessed with. She spoke of a man who she had rescued off of the streets of Calcutta, India who had been half eaten with worms. She brought him back to the home to care for him, and in his gratefulness, knowing that he was about to die, he said, "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for." This man, the poorest of the poor, with absolutely nothing to speak of, with a half eaten body, still had something to be grateful for.
Gratefulness is not a gift, it is a choice. This is the epiphany for me. My shopping addiction is so petty in comparison to Mother Teresa's countless acts of generosity, love, and gratefulness. I realize now that the path to beat this coupon craze along with its' shopping addiction is to be grateful for what I have. I have a tendency to accumulate more and more food, toiletries, and paper products than I know what to do with (due to coupons and sales). I spend so much time planning and conniving over how to get more stuff that I never implement a successful plan to use what I already have. The newest items in the sales flyer's are prizes that I must have no matter the cost to my kids, to my husband, or to myself. This is ungratefulness! I am unwilling to be content with what I have, or in some cases, what I do not have simply because I am not in the habit of being grateful.
My prayer, my petition, and my hearts desire, God, is that you will help me to always choose contentment with what is in my pantry over lust for what is in the sales ad, that you will help to put on gratefulness for a family to feed rather than ungratefulness for our ill perceived lack. Help me to be wise in the decisions my husband has entrusted me with when it comes to grocery shopping, coupon clipping, and saving money. Help me to rely on you to supply all my needs according to your riches and glory.
I am choosing gratefulness today, I love you,
Tammy Hook
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Tip # 2 :
Moving For Less, With Friends and Less Stress
Moving day... dreaded by many, feared by some, but necessary if one wants to change addresses. My change of address officially happens tomorrow. Thankfully, our move only finds us about a hundred steps from our current residence. So, God willing this move will be pretty painless compared to our last move half way across the country. So, here is our game plan to make our moving day less stressful, more fun, and as easy and quick as possible.
1. Start decluttering your home as soon as you find out you will be moving. For directions on how to declutter, visit www.flylady.net. Getting rid of junk, trash, and clutter before you ever start packing boxes will only reduce your stress level when the inevitable unpacking day arrives.
Decluttering doesn't have to be painful. Take decluttering in small steps, such as fifteen minute increments (as flylady suggests).
2. After deciding what you will keep, estimate the amount of boxes you will need. About one month before you are planning to move start asking around at your local grocery stores, hardware stores, big box store and pharmacy stores for boxes. If you ask politely what day and time the store is stocked you can get a good idea of the approximate time the store will have available boxes. Many stores crush, or bail their boxes (which are of no use when moving) immediately after stocking. So, arrive while the store is being stocked, ask a manager if it's okay to collect some boxes and voila you have as many boxes as you may need to move for free!
3. Start collecting moving supplies, such as box tape, markers, bubble wrap, foam, trash bags etc. You can post search ads for these items on www.freecycle.org or www.craigslist.com to try to get them for free. Also start scouring the store ads for deals on water, sodas, food, paper plates, paper cups, utensils, napkins, and other party supplies to prepare for your moving party.
4. Let your friends and family know you will be moving in the near future. Start planning a moving party and invite friends and family to help you move. The idea of a moving party (my husbands' idea) revolves around the obvious, the move; but anyone that's ever moved before can attest that a move is no party. So, choose to make the move fun and as stress free as possible by setting a time limit for the moving part (such as three hours), then plan on relaxing with your guests with food, drinks, and entertainment for a couple of hours. If you can get enough party guests to help out with your move, the experience of lugging boxes from the truck to the house will not only go faster but will also be a lot more enjoyable.
- Three options for enlisting help at your party:
- plan for your guests to help you pack
- plan for your guests to help you unpack
- or if your move is short, plan for your guests to help you move boxes from the old residence to the new residence.
P.S. I think the easiest dinner option is ordering pizza. There are many coupons at several pizza places for five dollar pizzas (when you buy 3 or more).
5. Label, Label, Label! Label all boxes clearly and once on the top and once on the side. In your label, include the room the box belongs in and a short description of the contents.
Miscellaneous moving tips:
1. Use socks to hold small breakables, such as candles, light bulbs, and knick knacks.
2. Use clothes, such as t-shirts to place in between breakable dishes, pictures, or glasses.
3. Use your give away pile (from decluttering) as party favors for your guests. Let them have first pick of anything you don't plan on keeping as a thank you for helping you move. Remember one man's junk is another man's treasure :o )
Moving For Less, With Friends and Less Stress
Moving day... dreaded by many, feared by some, but necessary if one wants to change addresses. My change of address officially happens tomorrow. Thankfully, our move only finds us about a hundred steps from our current residence. So, God willing this move will be pretty painless compared to our last move half way across the country. So, here is our game plan to make our moving day less stressful, more fun, and as easy and quick as possible.
1. Start decluttering your home as soon as you find out you will be moving. For directions on how to declutter, visit www.flylady.net. Getting rid of junk, trash, and clutter before you ever start packing boxes will only reduce your stress level when the inevitable unpacking day arrives.
Decluttering doesn't have to be painful. Take decluttering in small steps, such as fifteen minute increments (as flylady suggests).
2. After deciding what you will keep, estimate the amount of boxes you will need. About one month before you are planning to move start asking around at your local grocery stores, hardware stores, big box store and pharmacy stores for boxes. If you ask politely what day and time the store is stocked you can get a good idea of the approximate time the store will have available boxes. Many stores crush, or bail their boxes (which are of no use when moving) immediately after stocking. So, arrive while the store is being stocked, ask a manager if it's okay to collect some boxes and voila you have as many boxes as you may need to move for free!
3. Start collecting moving supplies, such as box tape, markers, bubble wrap, foam, trash bags etc. You can post search ads for these items on www.freecycle.org or www.craigslist.com to try to get them for free. Also start scouring the store ads for deals on water, sodas, food, paper plates, paper cups, utensils, napkins, and other party supplies to prepare for your moving party.
4. Let your friends and family know you will be moving in the near future. Start planning a moving party and invite friends and family to help you move. The idea of a moving party (my husbands' idea) revolves around the obvious, the move; but anyone that's ever moved before can attest that a move is no party. So, choose to make the move fun and as stress free as possible by setting a time limit for the moving part (such as three hours), then plan on relaxing with your guests with food, drinks, and entertainment for a couple of hours. If you can get enough party guests to help out with your move, the experience of lugging boxes from the truck to the house will not only go faster but will also be a lot more enjoyable.
- Three options for enlisting help at your party:
- plan for your guests to help you pack
- plan for your guests to help you unpack
- or if your move is short, plan for your guests to help you move boxes from the old residence to the new residence.
P.S. I think the easiest dinner option is ordering pizza. There are many coupons at several pizza places for five dollar pizzas (when you buy 3 or more).
5. Label, Label, Label! Label all boxes clearly and once on the top and once on the side. In your label, include the room the box belongs in and a short description of the contents.
Miscellaneous moving tips:
1. Use socks to hold small breakables, such as candles, light bulbs, and knick knacks.
2. Use clothes, such as t-shirts to place in between breakable dishes, pictures, or glasses.
3. Use your give away pile (from decluttering) as party favors for your guests. Let them have first pick of anything you don't plan on keeping as a thank you for helping you move. Remember one man's junk is another man's treasure :o )
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tip # 1 : "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied
]
: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Matthew 22:36-39
Jesus placed loving God at the top of the list, so I will follow suit and place this commandment as my number one tip. What does loving God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind look like anyway? 1 John 5:3 says "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome." I'm finding out more each day that the 'not burdensome' part is in fact correct!
I'm on a mission to love God and to love others in every situation that I have an opportunity to do so. So far on this journey, I have found that I feel the least burdened when I am loving the most people. I used to find ways to take care of myself, to put me first, and to make sure I was well taken care of, yet somehow I never felt fulfilled. Some days I find myself reverting back to self love and oddly these are the days I feel the most burdened. Surprisingly, the moments I spend loving others aren't always easy, but they are never burdensome. No matter if I'm waking up with my hungry baby boy in the middle of the night, if I'm making a meal for a sick friend, or if I'm putting my wants and desires aside to better serve my husband, I'm finding that investing time in loving other people produces more joy, more peace, and more love for God in my heart, then it does to insist that my every want, whim, and desire is met.
Thanks DAD for loving me, for me teaching me, and for encouraging me, your love is amazing.
I love you, Tammy
]
: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Matthew 22:36-39
Jesus placed loving God at the top of the list, so I will follow suit and place this commandment as my number one tip. What does loving God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind look like anyway? 1 John 5:3 says "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome." I'm finding out more each day that the 'not burdensome' part is in fact correct!
I'm on a mission to love God and to love others in every situation that I have an opportunity to do so. So far on this journey, I have found that I feel the least burdened when I am loving the most people. I used to find ways to take care of myself, to put me first, and to make sure I was well taken care of, yet somehow I never felt fulfilled. Some days I find myself reverting back to self love and oddly these are the days I feel the most burdened. Surprisingly, the moments I spend loving others aren't always easy, but they are never burdensome. No matter if I'm waking up with my hungry baby boy in the middle of the night, if I'm making a meal for a sick friend, or if I'm putting my wants and desires aside to better serve my husband, I'm finding that investing time in loving other people produces more joy, more peace, and more love for God in my heart, then it does to insist that my every want, whim, and desire is met.
Thanks DAD for loving me, for me teaching me, and for encouraging me, your love is amazing.
I love you, Tammy
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