Hey everyone!
Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I was busy in the morning (although who am I kidding, would I have really been motivated enough to post something in the morning anyways?) and then our internet was down for the rest of the day.
It did give me an opportunity to talk to Jon about my blog. I am really excited about doing this, and I want all of my followers to be excited too! So, I'm going to take the weekend off and have Jon teach me how to get pictures on here and make everything more user-friendly. Hopefully next week I'll have a new and improved blog for you to read!
A couple of things before then. First, I really enjoy getting stuff for free. So, I found out about two free deals this weekend (one local, the other is national) that I want to share with you. They are both basically the same free item and in honor of Earth Day.
Tomorrow at HEB between 10am and 2pm, if you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags, you get a free reusable shopping bag: http://www.heb.com/page/offers-contests/earth-day-bag-giveaway.
Sunday at Target, you can also get a reusable bag (with a purchase). Their giveaway begins when they open and ends when each store runs out (which they expect to be within a few hours): http://www.target.com/b?node=2670210011&ref=eco.
I personally don't shop with reusable bags, but I also believe that you can't have enough bags around. When you can get them for free - even better!
I'm also considering doing a giveaway of my own. I'd like to make things more interesting by giving away items that I blog about from time to time. But, I feel like I need more followers to make it worth it. So, while I'm taking a break over the weekend, please share my blog with your friends and family. You can email, Facebook, or comment here to let me know who you referred so I know who to credit. What I mean is, I may just give away something to the person who refers the most people here over the weekend! Yay for free stuff!
Have a blessed weekend everyone!
P.S. I found out about another freebie that will benefit your whole family! If you don't already have plans for the weekend, why not check out a national park? Saturday kicks off National Park Week and the admission to all of the national parks is free! http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm
Friday, April 15, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Favorite Thing - Your Favorite Thing!
Hey everyone! It is late, and I am exhausted after a very long day! I just typed up a whole lot of information about the Kindle (was supposed to be my favorite thing today), and somehow lost it! I don't know what happened, but I can not possibly spend that amount of time on another post at this point of the night. So, I'll leave you with a question.
My friend Ally asked me for ideas for a weekend getaway with her husband in Michigan. My research instincts kicked into high-gear and I began checking out websites for places to stay, eat, and things to do. I sent her a message via Facebook with ideas and links to everything that I looked into. It also got me thinking. Is there someone else who is interested in something, but doesn't have the time or interest to do the research?
So, my question to you is: Do you have something that you'd like me to look into for you and write a post about it here? It can be anything. Be creative and honest. (Please don't send me on a wild goose chase just for the sake of giving me something to research!)
I'll look forward to seeing what you've got for me! Until then, I hope to post about my Kindle tomorrow.
Blessings!
My friend Ally asked me for ideas for a weekend getaway with her husband in Michigan. My research instincts kicked into high-gear and I began checking out websites for places to stay, eat, and things to do. I sent her a message via Facebook with ideas and links to everything that I looked into. It also got me thinking. Is there someone else who is interested in something, but doesn't have the time or interest to do the research?
So, my question to you is: Do you have something that you'd like me to look into for you and write a post about it here? It can be anything. Be creative and honest. (Please don't send me on a wild goose chase just for the sake of giving me something to research!)
I'll look forward to seeing what you've got for me! Until then, I hope to post about my Kindle tomorrow.
Blessings!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Favorite Thing - Betty Crocker Cookbook
Every day that I've posted on here, I've gone back and forth all day long about what I should write about for the day. Today was no exception. I came up with an idea while reading in bed last night and I was all set to write on it today.
Then I made dinner.
Tonight I made one of Jon's favorite meals: hamburger stroganoff. Not the Hamburger Helper kind. I made a recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook. I also made Jon a belated birthday cake (his birthday was a week ago today and I wasn't feeling well enough on his birthday to make one then). The cake and frosting recipes were also from this cookbook.
Why would I think to share the Betty Crocker cookbook with you? I mean, who doesn't know that there's a Betty Crocker cookbook out there? It's not like it's some hidden treasure I found buried in a bookstore. It's just a plain-old Betty Crocker cookbook.
Well, I have had this cookbook since I moved out of my parent's house when I was 19. I didn't know how to cook at all, and the recipes were pretty easy to follow. I've also always been a pretty picky eater (although I've gotten much better since becoming a "grown-up") and the recipes aren't exactly gourmet. I could easily find the ingredients that I needed in any grocery store. There's also plenty of pages of how-to's with pictures that have helped me out many times and an easy-to-navigate index (believe it or not, some cookbooks have indexes that make it very difficult to find what you're looking for).
I've acquired several other cookbooks over the years. Nothing exciting though. Just your Better Homes & Gardens, Joy of Cooking, and Good Housekeeping. Still, none of them measure up to my beloved Betty. You see, the thing is, even though I can cook now (pretty well too, I might add), and even though my tastes have "graduated", I still like knowing that I can find easy to follow recipes that have withstood the test of time. I'm also comfortable enough now that I can change the recipes to suit my mood (such as adding more of an ingredient that I really like, omitting ingredients that I dislike, doubling recipes, and even combining some recipes with similar ones from other cookbooks to get the best of both worlds).
I would highly recommend this cookbook for anyone who has never cooked, baked, or is afraid to even try. If it could work for me, it can definitely work for you!
Here are a couple of links if you're interested in purchasing one. They even give you the ability to "peek" inside to see what some of the book looks like.
The 1998 edition that I have: http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cookbook-Crocker-Editors/dp/0028630092/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1302660333&sr=8-12
The 2005 newest edition: http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Cookbook-Everything-Today/dp/0764568779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302660333&sr=8-1
Does anyone else have a favorite cookbook that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear about it! :)
Blessings to everyone!
P.S. Don't worry, I will definitely write about my first idea on another day!
Then I made dinner.
Tonight I made one of Jon's favorite meals: hamburger stroganoff. Not the Hamburger Helper kind. I made a recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook. I also made Jon a belated birthday cake (his birthday was a week ago today and I wasn't feeling well enough on his birthday to make one then). The cake and frosting recipes were also from this cookbook.
Why would I think to share the Betty Crocker cookbook with you? I mean, who doesn't know that there's a Betty Crocker cookbook out there? It's not like it's some hidden treasure I found buried in a bookstore. It's just a plain-old Betty Crocker cookbook.
Well, I have had this cookbook since I moved out of my parent's house when I was 19. I didn't know how to cook at all, and the recipes were pretty easy to follow. I've also always been a pretty picky eater (although I've gotten much better since becoming a "grown-up") and the recipes aren't exactly gourmet. I could easily find the ingredients that I needed in any grocery store. There's also plenty of pages of how-to's with pictures that have helped me out many times and an easy-to-navigate index (believe it or not, some cookbooks have indexes that make it very difficult to find what you're looking for).
I've acquired several other cookbooks over the years. Nothing exciting though. Just your Better Homes & Gardens, Joy of Cooking, and Good Housekeeping. Still, none of them measure up to my beloved Betty. You see, the thing is, even though I can cook now (pretty well too, I might add), and even though my tastes have "graduated", I still like knowing that I can find easy to follow recipes that have withstood the test of time. I'm also comfortable enough now that I can change the recipes to suit my mood (such as adding more of an ingredient that I really like, omitting ingredients that I dislike, doubling recipes, and even combining some recipes with similar ones from other cookbooks to get the best of both worlds).
I would highly recommend this cookbook for anyone who has never cooked, baked, or is afraid to even try. If it could work for me, it can definitely work for you!
Here are a couple of links if you're interested in purchasing one. They even give you the ability to "peek" inside to see what some of the book looks like.
The 1998 edition that I have: http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Cookbook-Crocker-Editors/dp/0028630092/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1302660333&sr=8-12
The 2005 newest edition: http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Cookbook-Everything-Today/dp/0764568779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302660333&sr=8-1
Does anyone else have a favorite cookbook that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear about it! :)
Blessings to everyone!
P.S. Don't worry, I will definitely write about my first idea on another day!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Favorite Thing - Secret Millionaire
One of the topics that I'd like to cover with this blog is entertainment. I enjoy a good show, song, movie, or outing just as much as the next person. Unfortunately, our society has made it difficult to find things of that nature to enjoy without the use of a lot of profanity, nudity, sexual undertones, drug use, etc. So, I am always happy to find something to enjoy that doesn't involve those things. Which brings us to my favorite thing of the day:
Secret Millionaire
I found out about this show about a month ago. Since I saw the first episode, I've been hooked. I can't wait for Monday to get here so I can watch the newest one. Yes, I said Monday. We don't have cable, so I watch it on Hulu the next day. Here's the link if you're interested:
http://www.hulu.com/search?query=Secret+Millionaire&st=1&fs=.
If you haven't seen it, I'll give you a short summary.
A millionaire is sent to a poverty-stricken area to spend 5 days living there. Their mission is to find at least three organizations that serve that community and volunteer with them. They aren't allowed to tell anyone that they are a millionaire. They just explain that they're doing a documentary on volunteering in the community to explain the camera following them around. At the end of their time there, they have to divvy up at least $100,000 of their own money to give to these organizations and reveal who they really are.
Each episode has caused me to cry (and I'm not typically a crier). They are also so inspiring! It gets the wheels of my mind spinning thinking about things that I could do for others someday. I would do something now, but taking care of a one year old is enough for work for me for the time being!
If you want to watch the show on TV, it airs on Sunday nights on abc. Here's the link with more information: http://abc.go.com/shows/secret-millionaire.
Bye for now! Blessings to everyone!
Secret Millionaire
I found out about this show about a month ago. Since I saw the first episode, I've been hooked. I can't wait for Monday to get here so I can watch the newest one. Yes, I said Monday. We don't have cable, so I watch it on Hulu the next day. Here's the link if you're interested:
http://www.hulu.com/search?query=Secret+Millionaire&st=1&fs=.
If you haven't seen it, I'll give you a short summary.
A millionaire is sent to a poverty-stricken area to spend 5 days living there. Their mission is to find at least three organizations that serve that community and volunteer with them. They aren't allowed to tell anyone that they are a millionaire. They just explain that they're doing a documentary on volunteering in the community to explain the camera following them around. At the end of their time there, they have to divvy up at least $100,000 of their own money to give to these organizations and reveal who they really are.
Each episode has caused me to cry (and I'm not typically a crier). They are also so inspiring! It gets the wheels of my mind spinning thinking about things that I could do for others someday. I would do something now, but taking care of a one year old is enough for work for me for the time being!
If you want to watch the show on TV, it airs on Sunday nights on abc. Here's the link with more information: http://abc.go.com/shows/secret-millionaire.
Bye for now! Blessings to everyone!
Favorite Thing - Salvation
It's Sunday and I'm inspired to write about my most favorite of favorite things: Salvation!
Now, before you stop reading (I know, you've "heard this a million times before" or you just don't agree), I would encourage you to read on. I'd like to tell my story. I can at least guarantee that it's a pretty interesting one.
Where do I start?
Well, I grew up going to church with my family. It was the kind of church that almost my (dad's) whole family went to. My parents were married there as well as many other family members over the years. We would spend Sunday afternoons at my grandparents house after church and visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins who all lived in the area. I was confirmed as a church member around the age of 14(?) . The things that I most remember learning/hearing about the Bible were memorizing the books of the Bible, memorizing the Lord's prayer, and a sermon given by our pastor which required the congregation to respond with "uh-huh" at various intervals after he would say, "You've got the right one with Jesus" (during the Pepsi "Right One Baby" era). Other than that, I don't remember anyone talking about the concept of being saved or the concept of being a sinner (not that anyone didn't, if they did, I just don't remember it). I think my beliefs about God, Heaven, and Hell at the time can be summed up like this:
If you're a "good" person, you'll go to Heaven (good meaning not a murderer, rapist, etc.).
It's important to know and recite the Lord's prayer, Apostle's Creed, and benediction during the church service.
I really can't remember anything else right now.
Note: I realize that family members that went to this church with me may be reading this. I just want to emphasize that this is an account of my experience. I realize that I was young and may not remember things the way they really were. I just think that it's important to tell how things were for me so I can better explain how I came to be where I am today.
My brother was confirmed about a year after me, and then my family pretty much stopped going to church. Without going into too much detail, I would say that there are various reasons why that happened (possibly some that I'm not even aware of...I was only a young teenager).
Anyways, this happened to be a pivotal time in my life. At 15, I lost my virginity. It was a horrible experience. However, it did not keep me from living a promiscuous lifestyle. It was also around this age when I began to try smoking. By the time I was 16, I had several more partners, was smoking weed, and drinking alcohol regularly. I hated going to school (even though I was good at it). Most of my friends were older than me and by 17, I was staying out all night, partying, etc. I ended up in a really emotionally bad relationship from the time I was 17 off and on until I was 21. Of course, this didn't keep me from finding more guys during our break-ups. By the time I was 21, going to bars had lost it's excitement. I had been going to them for several years by then and it wasn't pretty. My drinking had escalated to a point where I didn't feel like I had a "good/fun" night unless I left drunk and/or with a guy.
*This is getting hard to write. I feel so ashamed and vulnerable right now. I feel like I'm fighting a battle just to write this publicly. Although I have shared this story many times before, it still hurts just as bad to think about all of the horrible things that I went through.
At 21, I met Jon. We began exclusively dating a couple of months after we met. Although I had toned down my party lifestyle by then, I was still a little wild for his liking. He asked me to stop drinking and going to clubs with my friends. I remember thinking that if I wanted him to stop doing something for me, I would hope that he would respect me enough to do it. So, I stopped drinking and going to clubs with my friends. Wow, did that ever cause problems! Suddenly, I was being brain-washed? That's what they were saying.
Jon was a pretty moral person. He grew up in a Biblically solid church and knew a lot more about the Bible than I did. He also had some very good Christian friends that he was still in contact with when we met. He even worked for one of them. Anyways, Jon and I started talking about the Bible and our beliefs.
I can remember one time when we were in the car and he asked me if I thought I was a Christian. I told him that I did. He told me that the word Christian itself means to be Christ-like. He then asked me if I thought that Jesus would have been doing drugs, getting drunk, and sleeping around like I was. I was SO MAD!!! How dare he question my "faith"! Well, what ended up happening was that I began to question my "faith". We talked about reading the Bible together. I thought, why not? It's not like it would hurt anything. However, that's all we did was talk about doing it.
On another occasion, we were sitting and talking, and Jon asked me that if I were to die that night, did I think I would go to Heaven? I said yes. He said that he believed that we would both go to Hell. I told him that although I didn't agree, if he really felt that way, maybe he should do something about it.
A few weeks after that, Jon's friend who he had previously worked for called to say that he had tax info. for Jon and asked if he could come over to get it. I went with him. We sat at the dining room table in this guy's house and he was just talking to us about his day. He told us about a conversation that he had with someone about time. He said that time was explained as a line and that your life was like a dot on that line. The meaning being that life is very short. He also talked about how the Bible says that not everyone who believes in God will go to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23)http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7&version=NIV. (Another passage that supports this that he didn't mention is found in James 2:19 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2&version=NIV).
I left there in shock! I never heard such a thing before! The thing is, his friend was in no way trying to preach to me. Like I said, he was just telling us about a couple of conversations that he had that day. Anyways, I went home and found the only Bible that I could find (a kid's Bible) and tried to start reading it. I started in the beginning of Genesis, but felt like I wasn't really understanding it. However, this time I just couldn't shake the feeling that something really wasn't right. I had heard of getting "saved", but didn't know what it really meant. All I knew is that I was beginning to think that I needed to do it!
Because Jon and I had talked about the subject several times, but never did anything about it, I was reluctant to bring it up again. I thought that if I told him that I was finally serious about this whole Bible thing, that it would scare him away. I spent several weeks trying to figure out what to do. Finally, one night, I called him and said that I wanted to read the Bible, and that I thought I needed to get saved and that if he wanted to do it too, that would be great, and if not, maybe his friend could help me. Thankfully, he felt the same way! He had been seriously thinking about it and didn't want to scare me away either! So, I bought a Bible and we began reading 5 chapters a day beginning in Matthew (Jon's suggestion). I had SO MANY questions about what I was reading! We talked every night about what we read. Jon told me that if I wrote all of my questions down, I would find some of the answers as I read more. He also talked about needing to pray and ask God for forgiveness. Forgiveness? By this time, I was convinced that I was a sinner (even though I hadn't read anything that directly said so yet). I now had 2 new problems. First, I didn't believe that God could forgive me for everything that I had done wrong. Second, if God could forgive me, I didn't deserve it.
After a couple of weeks of reading and talking about the Bible, I decided to ask for God's forgiveness. It was at night and I was in my room. I felt so inadequate. I didn't think that I knew how to pray. So, I just started asking God to forgive me for the things that I knew in my heart were wrong. I was bawling. My whole life changed that night.
The next day when I talked to Jon, I said, "Guess what I did last night?". He responded with, "Guess what I did this morning?"!!! We both got saved within 24 hours of each other! Without trying to, we changed our relationship and our lives immediately. Although I had already stopped drinking, smoking, and doing drugs, Jon and I were intimately involved and I had the "mouth of a sailor" until that point. No one told us to change. We just did. We just wanted to live lives that were pleasing to God.
Oh, to tell you everything that happened after that could fill a book! I will tell share a few things that happened since then (10 years ago now).
After much prayer, Jon asked me to marry him in the beginning of his senior year of college. We lived in a ministry house for Christian college men near MSU. Jon was the house director for 5 years. We faced many challenges there as newlyweds and as house-directors. God protected us from homeless people who threatened Jon's life and who physically harmed residents in the house. When Jon got in a car accident and his car was totaled, the Lord provided a car through someone at our church. When it was our time to leave the house and get our own home, the Lord showed us who He wanted to take over the ministry where we left off. A couple of years ago when Jon was offered a job that required us to travel and sell our house, the Lord provided a buyer willing to pay more than we did for it in a down market. After 6 1/2 years of not having any children, God provided us with a child through adoption.
These are only a few examples of how God has worked in our lives. Not everything has been all "rainbows and butterflies" since that night in my room, but when I did go through trials, God has always seen me through them.
The Bible says that everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:23 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3&version=NIV).
The Bible also says that our payment for sin is death, but that salvation is a gift (Romans 6:23 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6&version=NIV).
The Bible says that even though we're sinners, God loves us (Romans 5:8 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5&version=NIV).
Finally, the Bible tells us how we can accept this gift of salvation (Romans 10:13 and 10:9 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10&version=NIV).
In Romans 10:9, it talks about believing with your heart. That is so critical, I think. I spent years having a head-knowledge that God existed, but until that night in my room, I never had a heart knowledge. That's what changed everything. :)
*If my story has touched you, and you realize that you want/need to be saved, please don't hesitate to do something about it. I would absolutely love to talk more about it with you. I think all of my "followers" are friends with me on Facebook. Send a message to my inbox if you don't want to post anything here.
Blessings to everyone!
Now, before you stop reading (I know, you've "heard this a million times before" or you just don't agree), I would encourage you to read on. I'd like to tell my story. I can at least guarantee that it's a pretty interesting one.
Where do I start?
Well, I grew up going to church with my family. It was the kind of church that almost my (dad's) whole family went to. My parents were married there as well as many other family members over the years. We would spend Sunday afternoons at my grandparents house after church and visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins who all lived in the area. I was confirmed as a church member around the age of 14(?) . The things that I most remember learning/hearing about the Bible were memorizing the books of the Bible, memorizing the Lord's prayer, and a sermon given by our pastor which required the congregation to respond with "uh-huh" at various intervals after he would say, "You've got the right one with Jesus" (during the Pepsi "Right One Baby" era). Other than that, I don't remember anyone talking about the concept of being saved or the concept of being a sinner (not that anyone didn't, if they did, I just don't remember it). I think my beliefs about God, Heaven, and Hell at the time can be summed up like this:
If you're a "good" person, you'll go to Heaven (good meaning not a murderer, rapist, etc.).
It's important to know and recite the Lord's prayer, Apostle's Creed, and benediction during the church service.
I really can't remember anything else right now.
Note: I realize that family members that went to this church with me may be reading this. I just want to emphasize that this is an account of my experience. I realize that I was young and may not remember things the way they really were. I just think that it's important to tell how things were for me so I can better explain how I came to be where I am today.
My brother was confirmed about a year after me, and then my family pretty much stopped going to church. Without going into too much detail, I would say that there are various reasons why that happened (possibly some that I'm not even aware of...I was only a young teenager).
Anyways, this happened to be a pivotal time in my life. At 15, I lost my virginity. It was a horrible experience. However, it did not keep me from living a promiscuous lifestyle. It was also around this age when I began to try smoking. By the time I was 16, I had several more partners, was smoking weed, and drinking alcohol regularly. I hated going to school (even though I was good at it). Most of my friends were older than me and by 17, I was staying out all night, partying, etc. I ended up in a really emotionally bad relationship from the time I was 17 off and on until I was 21. Of course, this didn't keep me from finding more guys during our break-ups. By the time I was 21, going to bars had lost it's excitement. I had been going to them for several years by then and it wasn't pretty. My drinking had escalated to a point where I didn't feel like I had a "good/fun" night unless I left drunk and/or with a guy.
*This is getting hard to write. I feel so ashamed and vulnerable right now. I feel like I'm fighting a battle just to write this publicly. Although I have shared this story many times before, it still hurts just as bad to think about all of the horrible things that I went through.
At 21, I met Jon. We began exclusively dating a couple of months after we met. Although I had toned down my party lifestyle by then, I was still a little wild for his liking. He asked me to stop drinking and going to clubs with my friends. I remember thinking that if I wanted him to stop doing something for me, I would hope that he would respect me enough to do it. So, I stopped drinking and going to clubs with my friends. Wow, did that ever cause problems! Suddenly, I was being brain-washed? That's what they were saying.
Jon was a pretty moral person. He grew up in a Biblically solid church and knew a lot more about the Bible than I did. He also had some very good Christian friends that he was still in contact with when we met. He even worked for one of them. Anyways, Jon and I started talking about the Bible and our beliefs.
I can remember one time when we were in the car and he asked me if I thought I was a Christian. I told him that I did. He told me that the word Christian itself means to be Christ-like. He then asked me if I thought that Jesus would have been doing drugs, getting drunk, and sleeping around like I was. I was SO MAD!!! How dare he question my "faith"! Well, what ended up happening was that I began to question my "faith". We talked about reading the Bible together. I thought, why not? It's not like it would hurt anything. However, that's all we did was talk about doing it.
On another occasion, we were sitting and talking, and Jon asked me that if I were to die that night, did I think I would go to Heaven? I said yes. He said that he believed that we would both go to Hell. I told him that although I didn't agree, if he really felt that way, maybe he should do something about it.
A few weeks after that, Jon's friend who he had previously worked for called to say that he had tax info. for Jon and asked if he could come over to get it. I went with him. We sat at the dining room table in this guy's house and he was just talking to us about his day. He told us about a conversation that he had with someone about time. He said that time was explained as a line and that your life was like a dot on that line. The meaning being that life is very short. He also talked about how the Bible says that not everyone who believes in God will go to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23)http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7&version=NIV. (Another passage that supports this that he didn't mention is found in James 2:19 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2&version=NIV).
I left there in shock! I never heard such a thing before! The thing is, his friend was in no way trying to preach to me. Like I said, he was just telling us about a couple of conversations that he had that day. Anyways, I went home and found the only Bible that I could find (a kid's Bible) and tried to start reading it. I started in the beginning of Genesis, but felt like I wasn't really understanding it. However, this time I just couldn't shake the feeling that something really wasn't right. I had heard of getting "saved", but didn't know what it really meant. All I knew is that I was beginning to think that I needed to do it!
Because Jon and I had talked about the subject several times, but never did anything about it, I was reluctant to bring it up again. I thought that if I told him that I was finally serious about this whole Bible thing, that it would scare him away. I spent several weeks trying to figure out what to do. Finally, one night, I called him and said that I wanted to read the Bible, and that I thought I needed to get saved and that if he wanted to do it too, that would be great, and if not, maybe his friend could help me. Thankfully, he felt the same way! He had been seriously thinking about it and didn't want to scare me away either! So, I bought a Bible and we began reading 5 chapters a day beginning in Matthew (Jon's suggestion). I had SO MANY questions about what I was reading! We talked every night about what we read. Jon told me that if I wrote all of my questions down, I would find some of the answers as I read more. He also talked about needing to pray and ask God for forgiveness. Forgiveness? By this time, I was convinced that I was a sinner (even though I hadn't read anything that directly said so yet). I now had 2 new problems. First, I didn't believe that God could forgive me for everything that I had done wrong. Second, if God could forgive me, I didn't deserve it.
After a couple of weeks of reading and talking about the Bible, I decided to ask for God's forgiveness. It was at night and I was in my room. I felt so inadequate. I didn't think that I knew how to pray. So, I just started asking God to forgive me for the things that I knew in my heart were wrong. I was bawling. My whole life changed that night.
The next day when I talked to Jon, I said, "Guess what I did last night?". He responded with, "Guess what I did this morning?"!!! We both got saved within 24 hours of each other! Without trying to, we changed our relationship and our lives immediately. Although I had already stopped drinking, smoking, and doing drugs, Jon and I were intimately involved and I had the "mouth of a sailor" until that point. No one told us to change. We just did. We just wanted to live lives that were pleasing to God.
Oh, to tell you everything that happened after that could fill a book! I will tell share a few things that happened since then (10 years ago now).
After much prayer, Jon asked me to marry him in the beginning of his senior year of college. We lived in a ministry house for Christian college men near MSU. Jon was the house director for 5 years. We faced many challenges there as newlyweds and as house-directors. God protected us from homeless people who threatened Jon's life and who physically harmed residents in the house. When Jon got in a car accident and his car was totaled, the Lord provided a car through someone at our church. When it was our time to leave the house and get our own home, the Lord showed us who He wanted to take over the ministry where we left off. A couple of years ago when Jon was offered a job that required us to travel and sell our house, the Lord provided a buyer willing to pay more than we did for it in a down market. After 6 1/2 years of not having any children, God provided us with a child through adoption.
These are only a few examples of how God has worked in our lives. Not everything has been all "rainbows and butterflies" since that night in my room, but when I did go through trials, God has always seen me through them.
The Bible says that everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:23 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3&version=NIV).
The Bible also says that our payment for sin is death, but that salvation is a gift (Romans 6:23 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6&version=NIV).
The Bible says that even though we're sinners, God loves us (Romans 5:8 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5&version=NIV).
Finally, the Bible tells us how we can accept this gift of salvation (Romans 10:13 and 10:9 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10&version=NIV).
In Romans 10:9, it talks about believing with your heart. That is so critical, I think. I spent years having a head-knowledge that God existed, but until that night in my room, I never had a heart knowledge. That's what changed everything. :)
*If my story has touched you, and you realize that you want/need to be saved, please don't hesitate to do something about it. I would absolutely love to talk more about it with you. I think all of my "followers" are friends with me on Facebook. Send a message to my inbox if you don't want to post anything here.
Blessings to everyone!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Favorite Thing - Target RED Card
Today, I went on my big bi-weekly shopping trip to Target. I had several things to pick up, such as:
dry goods (paper towel, toilet paper, etc.)
toiletries (deodorant, shampoo,etc.)
Zoe's Easter basket gifts, egg dye, and Easter gifts for my niece & nephew
travel-size toiletries for a drive that Jon's work is participating in for the homeless
I also make sure to check out the clearance racks for Zoe every time I go. In the last 3 trips that I've made to Target, I have been able to buy her 7 pair of pants to grow into (sizes 18 mo. & 2T) for $2.25 -$2.50 each! That's less than I would pay to purchase used pants from a consignment store. Now that we're settling down here, I can buy ahead whenever I see things for a great deal and just keep them in her closet.
I also happened to be on the phone with my dad (who is a huge discount shopper) while I was checking out the clearance racks and asked him whether or not he thought it would be worth it to buy sizes 3 and 4 pants for her since there were several available for the $2 prices. He gave some good advice. He told me that I should only buy ahead 1 year at a time (unless it's an exceptional deal), because they'll clearance out the same kind of clothes next year that I can buy ahead for her then. I think that's good advice because then her closet won't be full of clothes that she needs a few years to grow into and besides, even though she's little, they may go out of style by then too!
Alright, now for my favorite thing: The RED card. Something that you may not know about us is that we live debt-free. This also means that we are hugely against signing up for a credit card at every store we frequent. However, Target has a store debit card that you can sign up for. It works the same way that your bank or credit union's debit card works. It's tied to your checking account and the money is taken directly out of it. There are no fees associated with it except for your usual over-draft fees if you use it and don't actually have the money in your account. Anyways, we discovered it in the fall and signed up for one the next trip we made to the store. Since we shop there so much (who doesn't?) we save a lot of money by using our RED card. How much? Five percent - and it really adds up! Today I think I saved $8.00. That's in addition to their already low prices. Don't believe me? Check this article out: http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/07/news/companies/walmart_target_better_price/index.htm.
No, I am not getting any money from Target for endorsing their card. I just want to share the savings with you!
If you're interested in getting more information about this without reading a pamphlet in the check-out line, here's a link for you: https://redcard.target.com/redcard/content/rcw_benefits_tgt_rewards. You'll need to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click on the card to the left to get specific information about the debit card (yes, there is an actual Target VISA card too, but I don't want to encourage anyone to get it!).
I hope you had a great Saturday! Blessings!
* In yesterday's post, I said that I thought I paid $5 for the Real Simple grocery checklist. Their website stated that it sells for $9 at Target. I checked it out today while I was there and it was, in fact, $9. Again, I'm sure that I didn't actually pay that much for mine. I think I buy them at the beginning of the year when all of their organizational products go on sale. So, if you wanted to get one now, the list I found on Amazon is a much better deal.
dry goods (paper towel, toilet paper, etc.)
toiletries (deodorant, shampoo,etc.)
Zoe's Easter basket gifts, egg dye, and Easter gifts for my niece & nephew
travel-size toiletries for a drive that Jon's work is participating in for the homeless
I also make sure to check out the clearance racks for Zoe every time I go. In the last 3 trips that I've made to Target, I have been able to buy her 7 pair of pants to grow into (sizes 18 mo. & 2T) for $2.25 -$2.50 each! That's less than I would pay to purchase used pants from a consignment store. Now that we're settling down here, I can buy ahead whenever I see things for a great deal and just keep them in her closet.
I also happened to be on the phone with my dad (who is a huge discount shopper) while I was checking out the clearance racks and asked him whether or not he thought it would be worth it to buy sizes 3 and 4 pants for her since there were several available for the $2 prices. He gave some good advice. He told me that I should only buy ahead 1 year at a time (unless it's an exceptional deal), because they'll clearance out the same kind of clothes next year that I can buy ahead for her then. I think that's good advice because then her closet won't be full of clothes that she needs a few years to grow into and besides, even though she's little, they may go out of style by then too!
Alright, now for my favorite thing: The RED card. Something that you may not know about us is that we live debt-free. This also means that we are hugely against signing up for a credit card at every store we frequent. However, Target has a store debit card that you can sign up for. It works the same way that your bank or credit union's debit card works. It's tied to your checking account and the money is taken directly out of it. There are no fees associated with it except for your usual over-draft fees if you use it and don't actually have the money in your account. Anyways, we discovered it in the fall and signed up for one the next trip we made to the store. Since we shop there so much (who doesn't?) we save a lot of money by using our RED card. How much? Five percent - and it really adds up! Today I think I saved $8.00. That's in addition to their already low prices. Don't believe me? Check this article out: http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/07/news/companies/walmart_target_better_price/index.htm.
No, I am not getting any money from Target for endorsing their card. I just want to share the savings with you!
If you're interested in getting more information about this without reading a pamphlet in the check-out line, here's a link for you: https://redcard.target.com/redcard/content/rcw_benefits_tgt_rewards. You'll need to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click on the card to the left to get specific information about the debit card (yes, there is an actual Target VISA card too, but I don't want to encourage anyone to get it!).
I hope you had a great Saturday! Blessings!
* In yesterday's post, I said that I thought I paid $5 for the Real Simple grocery checklist. Their website stated that it sells for $9 at Target. I checked it out today while I was there and it was, in fact, $9. Again, I'm sure that I didn't actually pay that much for mine. I think I buy them at the beginning of the year when all of their organizational products go on sale. So, if you wanted to get one now, the list I found on Amazon is a much better deal.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Favorite thing - Real Simple grocery shopping list
Hey everyone!
As I sat down tonight to make out my grocery list for tomorrow (I shop on Saturdays because Jon has the car during the week and Sundays are busy with church) I realized what my first "favorite thing" to share with you would be: my grocery list!
I have a checklist made by Real Simple that I use: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/organizing-products-00000000007024/page3.html. I purchase it at Target for around $5 (?) per pad. I've been using these for at least a couple of years now. Let me explain what I like so much about it.
* It's magnetic - this is such a handy feature because I can keep it on the side of the fridge and check off whatever I need as I run out of things between visits to the grocery store.
* It's pre-filled out with common staples that you would purchase at the store and categorized (produce, meat, frozen, etc.). There are also boxes next to each item that you check off to show that you need something.
* There's plenty of blank lines to write in items that aren't already listed (for example, I have to write in pet food, baby stuff, etc.).
* There are enough sheets to last at least a year (I think mine had somewhere from 60-75). I shop bi-weekly, so mine lasts me quite a while!
I added a link earlier to show you exactly what I use although the page states that it costs about $9. I don't remember it costing that much though. So, I found a similar list on Amazon that costs less. Here's the link to that one: http://www.amazon.com/Knock-All-Note-Pads-Pack/dp/B001EPRBHK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1302314053&sr=8-2
I hope this is helpful to you! It really helps me cut down my grocery costs in several ways.
1. By pre-planning what I'm going to buy, I don't make many impulse purchases.
2. It makes it easy to meal plan since everything is on one list together rather than buying a bunch of things and trying to put them together at home.
3. I am way less likely to forget to buy something that I need since I can easily check something off of the list when I run out instead of trying to think of things while standing in the middle of the store.
4. This also helps cut down on grocery store trips between grocery shopping visits. Very rarely does Jon have to stop on the way home from work to pick something up for dinner.
OK. That's it for now! Thanks for reading!
As I sat down tonight to make out my grocery list for tomorrow (I shop on Saturdays because Jon has the car during the week and Sundays are busy with church) I realized what my first "favorite thing" to share with you would be: my grocery list!
I have a checklist made by Real Simple that I use: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/organizing-products-00000000007024/page3.html. I purchase it at Target for around $5 (?) per pad. I've been using these for at least a couple of years now. Let me explain what I like so much about it.
* It's magnetic - this is such a handy feature because I can keep it on the side of the fridge and check off whatever I need as I run out of things between visits to the grocery store.
* It's pre-filled out with common staples that you would purchase at the store and categorized (produce, meat, frozen, etc.). There are also boxes next to each item that you check off to show that you need something.
* There's plenty of blank lines to write in items that aren't already listed (for example, I have to write in pet food, baby stuff, etc.).
* There are enough sheets to last at least a year (I think mine had somewhere from 60-75). I shop bi-weekly, so mine lasts me quite a while!
I added a link earlier to show you exactly what I use although the page states that it costs about $9. I don't remember it costing that much though. So, I found a similar list on Amazon that costs less. Here's the link to that one: http://www.amazon.com/Knock-All-Note-Pads-Pack/dp/B001EPRBHK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1302314053&sr=8-2
I hope this is helpful to you! It really helps me cut down my grocery costs in several ways.
1. By pre-planning what I'm going to buy, I don't make many impulse purchases.
2. It makes it easy to meal plan since everything is on one list together rather than buying a bunch of things and trying to put them together at home.
3. I am way less likely to forget to buy something that I need since I can easily check something off of the list when I run out instead of trying to think of things while standing in the middle of the store.
4. This also helps cut down on grocery store trips between grocery shopping visits. Very rarely does Jon have to stop on the way home from work to pick something up for dinner.
OK. That's it for now! Thanks for reading!
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