I'm A Winner!

If you don't believe me, just look here...

Thanks, Tyndale!

Make It Do or Do Without?

One of my goals on my Finishing List 2009 was to put my den and office area back in order.  Remember this saying:

The beauty of the house is order...

If order is the qualifier, my den hasn't been very beautiful lately!  In fact, I've been pretty ashamed of the clutter that accumulated , BECAUSE MY ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT would kick in, and I would hold on to things that I knew I could sell on Craigslist to make a little money.  But I just didn't HAVE THE TIME.

After being reminded that there is beauty in order, I immediately set out to make beauty a priority!  It started with prayer, because I had issues with holding on to stuff.  So I asked the Lord to help me "be rutheless" in cleaning out my stuff and I asked my husband and daughter to pray for me as well. 

Next, I read several books by Lauri Ward, who has a blog with a "use what you have" focus.  Her books are now listed in my Bookshelf 2009 (in the right hand column beside this text!), so you can check them out from your local library.  Of the four books I read, my favorite by far was Home Therapy, because it showed the before and after layouts, and explained why things didn't work in the original configuration, and how to identify or fix the issues by simply rearranging with strategy.  Visit her business blog here to view before/after video of her work.  It's quite impressive to see strategy at work.

One of the issues I discovered was that some of my furniture was not functional, especially in my office area.  Sometimes you can't make it do, nor can you do without...  So, I got busy searching Craigslist and came up with an inexpensive solution.  I replaced my desk and printer stand, and added a storage piece and bookshelf to better serve my needs. 

Did I mention that this all took about three weeks, during which time we celebrated Thanksgiving and finished our preparations for finals in school???  Now you know that I've been really busy!  But, I think when you see the pictures in my next post, the results will prove to have been worth the effort.

Here's a sneak peek for the next post...

Shelf clearing!

Be warned.  I'm about to rant.

I went to Walgreens today to find that someone had come in and purchased a WHOLE BUGGIE full of the Kleenex tissues on sale this week for $1.09, but featured a deal I mentioned last post.  I assume this person had no idea that shelf clearing is greedy, not to mention extremely rude. 

I was told by a disgusted Walgreens employee that they couldn't stop the woman, or set a limit, because she had 5 kids with her, and could have each child go to the checkout with a limit of three.  We couponers have enough trouble keeping a good relationship with the employees without this type of behavior adding to the mix.

If you coupon, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't be a greedy girl!  Please don't buy a buggie full of a good deal.  There will be more than enough for each of us, and YOU will be blessed if you are disciplined in your gathering. 

LET'S ALL PLAY NICE, OKAY????

What if??

I need to repent!

In the spirit of honesty, I need to say that I purchased 24 pounds of unsalted butter on Tuesday.

Yes, I said 24 pounds.

Remember my post about cutting the grocery budget for the next two weeks, to help pay for the fridge? Well, I put God in a box.

It was totally wrong of me to assume that since my funds were tight, I wouldn't be able to stockpile or garage sale. His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

So when I was at the grocery store today to pick up some free salad for dinner, I asked the dairy manager to mark down some of the items on clearance. I offered to buy them all, and he marked them, 7 packages of Buitoni pasta from 75 cents to 25 cents.! So, I became bold!!!

I asked if he had anything else he would be marking down tomorrow, and I'm glad I did. I walked out of the store with 24 packages of unsalted butter for 75 cents a piece! I was shocked. Young mothers were following me around in the store, wondering why I was getting the royal treatment. And, they were watching me fill my cart, then going behind me to grab some for themselves!!

The kind dairy manager also gave me a tip about OM turkey bacon on clearance for 99 cents in the meat department, so I purchase some for myself, a friend, and a neighbor in need. And, I left some for others. I don't want to be this girl:

On the way home, I was reminded about my blog post, and realized that the smaller my budget, the bigger the opportunity for God to provide abundantly for me. And He sure did!

This is what I've stockpiled so far this summer, including the last four items this week:
40 pounds of granulated sugar
4 pounds of brown sugar
4 pounds of powdered sugar
2 buckets of hard red wheat

25 packages shredded cheese

24 cups of shredded zucchini

20 pounds of butter

5 pounds of turkey bacon

5 packages of ravoili

Here's a link to a yummy looking recipe using zucchini for lasagna. I'll be making this with the free cheese from the cheese deal a few weeks back, and some of the zucchini from my backyard.

A Blogging Break! I'm teaching VBS this week, but here's my classroom...

We have one child with severe Autism, and two who have Asbergers. There are 13 kiddaroos in my class, but I'll probably have more as the week progresses. It's a great, loving, and challenging class! See you next week!

(Theme is LifeWay's Boomerang Express. It's great!)

I love this!

Hearts and Homes...

Here are some thoughts from comments a blog post over at Like Merchant Ships. I needed to read both the post and the comments left by others, and you might, too...

"For this very reason, I had to make myself not buy any craft supplies in May because I'd realized I dream and buy for my dreams, but I never turn dreams to reality by making the things I imagine." Anne Marie

"I am getting rid of things right and left. I want to see empty space, not storage boxes...." Roxie700

"It has taken me many years to figure out it's not the space, it's me! I didn't need to change my space I needed to change my habits." Carrie

And, Meredith, whose original post inspired all this in the first place, "I did some deep thinking surrounded by Rotel and Ziplocs. Here are a few conclusions..."

(The pictures are ones I took on the 2009 Parade of Homes tour in Tulsa, Oklahoma.)

It must be my old age! I'm getting daring. Well, for me anyway.

After seeing so many gorgeous pictures of white drapes, white towels, white napkins, and white furniture, I've left my comfort zone and branched out.

My back porch now has a white drape. Dirt? Who cares. I can bleach that puppy every time it gets dirty, and the sun will bleach out anything I might miss anyway. It cost .75 cents, so it's not like I'm loosing a forture if it is ruined. I'll just go to a yardsale and find another!
White cloth napkins are now for everyday. I didn't make mine, though. I found them at a yard sale, 24 vintage white cloth napkins. .20 cents! If they get a spot, I just won't let it bother me. I'm sure I can find more.
And, if I don't, I can always make some of these beauties, like the Lazy Organizer did. I love the simple look.

No, white doesn't scare me. And, change doesn't scare me either. I'm learning to do what I want when it comes to decorating and life. Not what's practical, or inexpensive, just for the sake of being practical or thrifty. But to really find what I like and use what I like.

Posts like this inspire me to be more observant of myself, to discover what really brings joy to my everyday life. Like the arbor, and the order of the closet. Little reflections of design that mirror the creativity of my Heavenly Father, brought into the mundane parts of my everyday life.

That keeps my heart turned to Him. My thoughts always circling back to the way He would do things. That's what I want my house to be. That's what I want my life to be.

That's what brings me joy.

And now, for a lighter moment...

Cozy up!

Another great garage sale find, a golden wheat quilt and sham have made their way into my home and into the heart of my teen. She's so pleased to have another silky soft blanket to layer on the bed.

For another precious blanket story, visit That Family. You won't be sorry.

Wow!

Thoughts from the Lazy Organizer,
"We went one more year to that Easter egg hunt and my kids gave their baskets away again but last year i just couldn’t stomach it. The candy, the junkie toys, the selfishness. It seems like such a waste of time and effort for everyone involved. Now if it was a fun Easter egg hunt where the kids actually had to look for eggs it might be a different story but a big field of grass where they run out and grab as many eggs as they can before the other kid gets them? Who thinks of these things???"

To read more of this great post, click here.

Mere Christianity

What can I say? This book was terrific. We have SO enjoyed reading this classic, and discussing the ideas and writing style of C.S. Lewis. What a man. What an author. What a believer!

The clarity with which he presents his ideas, and the word pictures employed together with his thoughts, combines to give the reader a clear understanding of topics in Christendom sometimes difficult to understand.

I highly recommend adding this to your summer reading list, and it will be a constant on our bookshelves.

We're enjoying Andrew Davies' version of Dicken's Little Dorrit on PBS. If you haven't gotten to see the first episode yet, you can view it here.

Be sure to check the PBS schedule for your area, and catch the next four episodes airing on Masterpiece. Great classics, all for free! You can't beat that!

Momtrepreneur

I keep Fast Company, but it's not what you think. For about a year now, I've been subscribed to Fast Company Magazine, and there was an interesting letter from the editor, Robert Safian, in the March 2009 edition. Here's a snippet:

"You won't find Bernie Madoff in these pages. Or talk of another Great Depression. You won't find unemployment statistics or the word "bailout." We may discuss those topics in another issue, but this month, we pass.
It's not that we have our heads in the sand. We know how challenging the business environment is. In fact, that's exactly why we've tried to make this issue as upbeat and bursting with potential as we can. The one incontrovertible truth about this era: Only creativity and aggressive innovation -- in the face of hardship and layoffs and seriously tough choices -- will fuel a turnaround."

I've been a SAHM for many years, and until 2005, I operated my own profitable in~home business. Even though I have since disolved my S~corp, I keep my eye on the market, and try to stay current with innovations, politics and information. And, I run my household like a profitable business.

I also love to study and pray. I've been praying and pondering Luke 19:11-27 lately, which is about business, or the busy~ness of life. Whether we leave the house or not, we conduct "business" every day. Luke 19:13 says, "Occupy till I come...", and that's what we do when we keep home.

We are an occupying army of moms. But, what are we doing?

The Greek word here is #4231, pragmateuomai, from the root #4229 and literally means "to busy oneself with", to trade ~ occupy, to do business. This means, as a SAHM, I'm to busy myself with the business of homekeeping, managing my household budget, and to even make an income from cottage industry if I can.

The reason I decided to quote from the Editor's letter is that it struck a cord with me.

Am I employing my God given creativity and innovation to help my family prosper, regardless of the economic situation outside my four walls, or even within them?

After all, I'm not just a mother sitting at home eating bonbons and watching soap operas.

Some of the things I do to help my family prosper include gardening, couponing, budgeting, and practicing thrift where I can. I don't demand fancy clothes or expensive haircuts and mani~pedi's, although I do take care of my myself. I just choose to do it while making an effort to be responsible with my money and my time.

Blogging and reading blogs has helped me realize that there are other ways to be frugal as well. Repurposing, remaking, and being content regardless are just a few ways I'm helping insure my family doesn't have to participate in this so~called Recession, which, by the way, I'm not totally convinced is really happening since I can't get down 71st Street to the mall without fighting terrible traffic, and I still can't get a good parking place at Walmart or Target.

What ever became of the idea of checks and balances in the market, and corrections where spending is out of line, like Lehman's million dollar bonuses? Whatever happened to suffering consequences from poor decisions? Or, letting a business fall on it's face if it was not being run successfully?


Part of my Greed study has been to understand the true meanings of words we commonly use, but do not completely understand. One such example was the word business. which means to trade. Prosperity comes through trade. Luke 19:15 says so.

If I want prosperity, I have to handle trade or business correctly, with an excellent spirit and so forth. The business of everyday life must be much more important than we realize. Don't you think?

The Master Bedroom

Our room is pretty small, with only a 1/2 bath and a small walk~in closet. I didn't take a before picture of the walls, because there wasn't much difference in the paint colors and I don't think it would have shown up well.
The wall above the bookcase was blank and the bookcase in a different location, so this is a new~to~me arrangement, and seems to be working out quite well. The candlesticks were all silver or brown, and I spray painted them all to match, in black. The main colors in the room are black, brown, tan, and white.
The picture on the wall is a Carpentree piece, which I disassembled, spray painted, painted the mat, and then inserted a picture of dd16 at 7 Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. We all love that picture, and the beach. ;-)
This picture shows the wall color best. It's sort of a gray-green, called Concrete. I love it because it has a hint of green, but is neutral enough that I can put just about anything with it. The little nightstand is my hubby's, and will only look like that when I scoop all the contents of his emptied pockets into the drawer, because he usually empties them right there on the table. I need to make a little framed quote that says, "this space intentionally left blank."

Hope you enjoyed this little peek into my room. I really enjoy the simplicity of this small house.

Not broke, but broken...

I had to face some old hurts this week, to answer questions about a painful period in my life, and the loss of relationship with a most beloved daughter. I can neither write or speak of it without tears. They are a sign of ashes that remain.

Mom is broken.

As much as it hurts to admit, I am not yet whole. I know that Jesus makes me whole. I know He covers my sin with His sacrifice, and I choose to fully receive that. Yet, my physical brain just does not work like it did.

Since a transplant is not an option, I'm taking the Word of God as my brain medicine. This is what I choose to believe:
He restores my soul, which is my mind, my will, and my emotions.
I have the mind of Christ.
By His wounds I was healed; it has already happened and I believe it.
He restores what the cankerworm has destroyed.
He contends with those who contend with me, and He alone saves my children.

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

I hit the thrift stores last week, just after payday. It may have been a mistake...

I purchased the oil painting and pedestal bowl from Goodwill. The painting was $3.75 and the bowl was $1.50. I also got the "Inspire" plaque in the same purchase, and a few books.

Then, I went to the HOW Foundation Thrift Store and found the beautiful candle sticks along with the other things that look like acorns. I think they are made of clay; they are pretty heavy, but don't seem to be concrete. Anyway, I haven't decided where to put any of the items, since I've been so busy, but spring break is week after next, so even if I don't get them up before then, I know I'll be able to do it that week.

I already had a copy of Financial Peace Revisited, but I'm teaching a teen's course from Dave Ramsey, so I purchased that copy for one of the teens in the class. I highly recommend the book.

I also purchased alot of meat this week from Target. I posted about the deal here. Between the thrift store purchases, a few trips to Walgreens, and the money I set aside from the budget for my personal stash, I'm running lower on cash than I like with a week until the next payday. And, as fate would have it, it will be a beautiful weekend, so there will be lots of garage sale opportunities, which I will probably have to pass up.

I'm going to print the picture of the little "greed" girl above, and post it on the fridg. I have to be reminded often to guard against the temptation to spend in excess of what I need. With all the posts on simplifying, and doing with less, I'm sure thinking about places where I can cut back even further. I'd love to hear how you are cutting back as well.

When to improve...

From Great Expectations BBC version, "Biddy, you're the kind that makes the best of every change ~ you improve under any circumstances..."

Lord, let that be me.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Well, many of you don't know, but today is an anniversary of sorts for my family. My husband has been on his full time job one year today! That may not seem like a big deal to some, but let me tell you, it is a big deal to us.

In 2005, my husband was laid-off from MCI, where he had been employed for 7 years.

In 2006, he was forced to leave a company that was withholding commissions from him. He had worked there 11 months.

In 2007, he was laid-off from a third job, after only 10 months.

While we understood that these were just seasons in our lives, it was still difficult. He decided to leave telecom and utilities, which were the two primary industries in which he had been employed. He chose a new industry.

On February 18, 2008, he took a position with, of all things, an oil and gas manufacturer. I'm sure I don't need to say too much about where the oil and gas industry is at the moment, and yet I'm sure he is exactly where is supposed to be employed during this season. I don't know what the future holds, but I'm asking God to show me as much of the future as I need to know.

In the meantime, I'm celebrating the anniversary of a year's full-time employment, and rejoicing in knowing that before any of this happened, God had prepared us by leading us through Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey. He also gave us the vision to get out of debt, which we have attempted to walk out, even during the months of unemployment.

Praise God for His faithfulness. We've never gone hungry. We've not had a forclosure or repossession. And, we continue to pound away at our debt with our little snowballs. We will get there, walking out His good plans.