Alternative Christmas Gifts

Are you getting buried in STUFF?  Is clutter taking over your home?  Are you living with an abundance?  I challenge you to rethink your Christmas giving this year. 

Think about the TRUE meaning of Christmas.  Yes, getting stuff is fun.  Giving stuff is even more fun.  But does Aunt Thelma really need another holiday sweater?  Do the kids really need a new pile of toys?  How many holiday ties does your hubby need?

I have been challenged lately.  After watching some episodes of "Clean House" and "Hoarders," I began to really think about our stuff and our attachments to that stuff.  I admit, there are a few things in my home that I would be hard pressed to part with - namely a few furniture pieces from my grandmother for sentimental reasons.  Should I be so attached to things?  There are so many that have so little.  So many that struggle to even provide enough meals for their children.

With our abundance, how can we bless others during this Christmas season?  Oh - there are so many ways!

• Gather toys that your kids no longer play with.  Donate these toys to a homeless shelter, battered women's shelter, or soup kitchen.  Have your kids help so they learn about blessing others.
• Take items from your stockpile (toiletry items for example) and donate them.  Many hospital ICU's have items stored for family members who arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  Homeless shelters often donate these items to those who need them.  Donate extra pantry items to the food bank.  Food banks are having a harder time than ever keeping their shelves stocked - especially at months end.
• Donate gently used clothing to various organizations.

How does all of this fit with alternative Christmas gifts?  Well, I wanted to set the groundwork of altering our thinking before introducing these other ideas.  Consider these ideas.  Consider using them to change your family's outlook on the holiday.  Make Christmas so much more than just the STUFF.

• Purchase items for those in need in honor of someone.  Rather than get Aunt Thelma that sweater, put that money toward some chickens for needy in Asia.  Provide plenty of nutritous eggs for a starving family through the Gospel for Asia.
• Sponsor a child or provide disaster relief in someone's name through World Vision.  I donated money in friends' names for the tsunami disaster a few years ago.
• In someone's name, help a person unable to walk get up off the ground by purchasing a wheelchair for them.  All over the world, people who are crippled are either confined to home or destined to a life of crawling around.  By giving a wheelchair, you give freedom, independence, and dignity.  New this year - send a free wheelchair Christmas card and the recipient gets to choose WHERE the wheelchair will go!  Super cool!  The Free Wheelchair Mission is very close to my heart.

Look in to your heart.  Evaluate your priorities for the holidays.  Be creative!  Bless the socks off of others - there is nothing better!

The Stand

Hubby and I have been re-watching Stephen King's miniseries "The Stand." It is quite an interesting movie. It definitely isn't a cinematic masterpiece. It is not a work of theological excellence. It does, however, make me think. One scene in particular sticks out in my mind.

The character, Nadine Cross, has made her pact with the Satan-figure, Randall Flagg. He has sent her on missions before taking her as his bride. After completing her mission, she is walking through the desert and hears him call to her. "Come here, Nadine." "Right over here." She follows the voice for quite awhile and finds Flagg after dark.

Why does this scene stand out in my head? I was struck with how clearly Nadine hears Flagg's voice. I want to hear God's voice like that. I was struck by how quickly she obeyed. I want to be as quick to obey God's will. I am sad to say I drag my feet too often. I close my ears to His soft, still voice.

God, open my ears to your Word. Incline my heart to Your will.

Link List

I want to share a bunch of links with everyone. Some are good deals, others are just good reads! Also, a heads up - K-Mart is reported to have a lot of toys on unmarked clearance at up to an extra 50% off! The sale price rings up when scanned. Check your local K-Mart and try the self scanners before going to the registers!

• Blazing Center post on battling self pity
• Easy Meals for Moms blog - great easy and healthy recipes!
• Details on the K-Mart toy sale are HERE, however, the coupon posted has been reported to be declined at many stores although others will take them.
• Details on a 48 hour sale for Southwest Airlines HERE - ends 7/9/09
• Great blog dealing with biblical femininity - check out Girltalk!

Ethical Couponing

I am the firstborn child. I am a rule-follower. Down to my very core. Can I be legalistic - goodness, yes! Daily struggle. Even driving more than 3 mph over the speed limit gets me a little on edge (yes, I do speed from time to time).

I carry my rule-following nature into my bargain hunting. I am realizing that many clerks and managers don't really understand how coupons work. I have heard stories of cashiers refusing to take a coupon because it would make the item free and the store doesn't give away freebies because that would be stealing (that cashier didn't realize the store gets reimbursed for manufacturer coupons). I have had a couple run-ins where I have had to explain why I am right when using my coupons. I want to make CERTAIN that I am doing my deals on the up and up just in case I have to clarify to a manager.

We all want to play nice. We want the coupons to keep coming. Manufacturers have a specific intent in their coupons that we need to follow to stay on the up and up. Here are some big no-no's I have gotten as I venture into coupon-land to keep us all from committing coupon fraud.

• Using a coupon for product xyz when coupon is actually for product abc
• Photocopying a printed coupon (most can legally be printed twice per computer by using the back button on your browser). Internet coupons are regulated by the manufacturer to only allow so many prints.
  
• Using more than one coupon in one transaction that states "one per transaction"
• Knowingly slipping more coupons to cashier than products you have on hand

There is a coupon course out there that teaches bar code matching. Theoretically, if certain numbers in the bar code of a product match a coupon, no matter if the product itself matches, the coupon will work. Manufacturers clearly state in writing on the coupon what products that coupon may be used on. Using a coupon for a kitchen cleaner on laundry detergent just because the bar codes match, in my opinion, just is not ethical. The manufacturer's intent was clear. Many companies have a generic portion of the bar code that appears on all products and coupons.

Stay tuned next week to learn all about shopping for deals at CVS!

Happy deal hunting!

Gratituesday: My Baby Boy's Smile

My husband and I waited 8 years to start a family. Our goal was for me to be able to stay home. He always felt called to teach college. Many years of working for me and schooling for him later, we had our little man.

The first few months with H were quite rough. Feeding issues caused hours of endless screaming. I was afraid we had an all around fussy little guy on our hands. Now at nearly 8 months, we have seen his little personality develop. He rarely fusses except right before bed or on occasional car trips. The best thing right now is his smile.

When H wakes up, he wakes with a smile - something I want to cultivate in my own life. In the mornings, he spends the 4am - wake-up in our bed. I treasure waking up to a chubby hand on my face accompanied by a gurgle and a big gummy grin.

I cannot even put into words how thankful I am for this beautiful smile!

In My Weakness, He is Strong

"He said to me,

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'

"Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I am an excitable person. I am nearly 32 years old and I still do not sleep Christmas eve .... or Easter eve .... or Thanksgiving eve .... or Flag day eve ..... You get the picture. I often am quite impulsive and speak before I should. I act before I think things through and often fall on my face.

I was thinking about my menu after shopping today. I spent more than I should have. I got excited about sales and didn't stick to my list. I decided today, on my second trip to Kroger (more on that later), that Kroger is my shopping weak spot. At Target, Rite Aid, and CVS, I can shop and use Gift Cards and Extra Care Bucks rather than spending out of pocket money. At Kroger, I go into hoard mode and buy anything we will eat that I have a coupon for. I get a tingle of excitement down my spine as I walk the aisles. I need to keep my tushie OUT of Kroger if I am going to be intentional about sticking to my super low budget for the month.

What is your weakness in regards to money? Daily living? Do you struggle with saying the little word "no?" Do you give in to the "tyranny of the urgent?" I know I do. I struggle to follow advice from a very wise woman. She told me I need to sit down before the Lord each morning to see what HE has for me to do that day. I get caught up in daily life and don't do that. Today, I did not have the TV on until late afternoon. I did not get on the computer for any leisure activities until around 9pm. I got so much done today. What about tomorrow? The rest of the week? The rest of the summer?

I know I am weak. I know I have a lot of growing to do (those of you who know me are probably chuckling and thinking of witty comments on my short stature - I am not even 5 feet tall). I need to harness some excitability and put it to good use. I have a plan for tomorrow. I have laid out a few small goals. Thank you for letting me share them as it helps me stay on track.

• shower (I realized just now that it has been 3 days since my last one - ick!)
• pray/have a quite time for more than 5 minutes
• put laundry away
• craft next blog post
• work on baby napping in crib rather than on me (fell into this habit again recently since we removed the bassinet insert from the pack n play - the transition hasn't gone well)
• start working on dinner earlier so I am not tempted to change my plan and make something quick and super easy and not very healthy
• watch my Penguins win!

Now for a quick story about my two Kroger trips today. I realized when I got home that I had purchased an open pack of hot dogs and that the cashier had shorted me on a coupon. After stewing for awhile, I decided to go back. Within minutes, I had a new pack of hot dogs and a full $1.67 in cash for the coupon (it was for a free ketchup - the cashier only took $.20 off!) and I went home happy.

I hope and pray that in all of my weaknesses, God is using me. Sometimes He gives me a glimpse of how. Other times, I just don't see it. I'm human, fragile, fallible. We all are. In our weakness, He is strong.

Living with Intention

in⋅ten⋅tion⋅al

 /ɪnˈtɛnʃənl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [in-ten-shuh-nl] –adjective

1. done with intention or on purpose; intended
2. of or pertaining to intention or purpose
   

Related forms:

in⋅ten⋅tion⋅al⋅i⋅ty, noun

in⋅ten⋅tion⋅al⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. designed, planned. See deliberate.

Antonyms:
1. accidental.

A few months ago, I was horrified at how time was sand slipping through my fingers. It hit me all of a sudden that my son wasn't going to remain a baby forever. He will grow. He will do. He will learn. He will leave. The time I have with this sweet boy in my care in this house is but a breath. I have been sitting back just waiting for something to happen, feeling as if I am on summer break. My "summer break" has lasted nearly a year now since I finished teaching. I'm not going back. It is up to me to structure my life and to live intentionally.

This series is preaching to the choir. God put this area of my life on my heart. I have succumbed to laziness. I have been a victim of the law of inertia - as in "an object at rest will stay at rest..." although I haven't felt like I have been resting. I spend a lot of time being busy but not getting much done. Organization has been out the window. The house has been a mess.

I need to be intentional - to be diligent in my role as a wife and mother. My first goal - be intentional with our menu. This month starts our car payments so money will be extra tight for awhile. It is time to stretch that dollar like never before. My goals in this area are:

• plan a menu for all meals - 3 meals a day
• incorporate more healthy and less processed elements into the menu
• grocery shop no more than once per week (deal hunting is different as it normally does not use out of pocket money once you get started - I am using gift cards/ECB's from previous promotions and deals at CVS, Rite Aid, and Target)
  
• spend $200 or less on groceries for the month (including paper goods and health/beauty items)
• pay for groceries with CASH from an ENVELOPE

I am excited about one aspect of eating less processed food. I plan to try making bread again. I made our own bread for an entire summer once and LOVED doing it. The bread was so yummy and fresh and healthy. I no longer have a working mixer with bread hook, so until I get the food processor I want that does bread dough, I plan to try making artisan breads. Check HERE for recipes and instructions for super simple artisan breads!

I want to start getting to know those of you who read my ramblings. Let me know what areas you need to work towards being more intentional.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day. A day of picnics and parades. A day to spend time outdoors with family and friends. A day of celebration. A day of remembrance. A day devoted to heroes.

Are there any who served to protect our freedoms in your circle of family and friends? I want to honor those in my circle today. My uncle, father-in-law, grandfathers, many friends, and now several past students have all served or are currently serving this great nation.

I encourage you to not forget the meaning of today amidst the celebration. Thank those who served. Thank those who are serving. Pray for them. Kristin over on the We Are THAT Family blog has a great post about a way to serve those who are currently serving. Click on over there for the details. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Great Blog Posts

As my little boy went to sleep for the night early, I have had a few moments tonight to catch up on reading other blogs. I wanted to highlight a few that caught my attention - namely one about saving money with a toilet and another comparing savings at regular stores vs. warehouse clubs.

• Is it a Better Bargain to Buy in Bulk?
• Save Money With a High Efficiency Toilet
• A Sad Mother's Day - for those of you hurting today
• The Making of a Mother

I also found some good ideas and some freebies to share.

• Building a pantry starter ideas
• Free Always Clean sample
• $0.40 Softsoap coupon
• Free Heart Health kit

Tomorrow I promise to begin a series on car buying!

Blog Goals

I want to do a quick post to explain some of the abrupt transitions in topics in this blog. I do not want this blog to be completely about money. I want it to be about things that are close to my heart. My desire is to grow in my walk with the Lord and strive to be more like the Proverbs 31 woman:

The Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I don't want this blog to focus just on getting money for worldly concerns but various topics that are extensions of this passage: character, frugality, hard work, mothering, inner beauty, wisdom, strength, patience, organization. I just wanted to be clear!