Rain Song

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Rain Song
Bethany House (October 1, 2008)
by
Alice J. Wisler

MY THOUGHTS

This book reminds me of times I spent visiting my great grandparents in Arkansas. While they weren't as prim and proper as Ducee, the grandmother who raised the main character in this book, Nicole, they represented the 'Southern' state of mind. I could easily see myself sitting on a porch drinking sweet tea or lemonade and listening in on the down to earth discussions between Nicole, Ducee, and others in this book.

Alice Wisler's first book examines our need to face our fears and our past so we can become whole. She draws us into the story of Nicole, who can't remember life with her missionary parents in Japan. At a very young age, Nicole survived a fire which killed her mother and left her father in a decades long state of depression. Nicole subsequently spent most of her time in North Carolina with her grandmother. When unwittingly faced with the opportunity to meet a childhood nanny she can't remember, Nicole must make a life-changing choice. Will she overcome her fears to discover her past?

I enjoyed the varied personalities woven through this story -- Monet, the 'wild child' who can't be diagnosed; Iva, the neurotic aunt; Grable, trying to mother Monet appropriately while her marriage disintegrates; and the ultimate Southern Belle, Ducee, a woman of wisdom and tradition.

I imagine this book will cause me to think about life's 'coincidences' and our need to face our fears with God's help for a long time. I am looking forward to the sequel!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nicole Michelin avoids airplanes, motorcycles, and most of all, Japan, where her parents once were missionaries. Something happened in Japan...something that sent Nicole and her father back to America alone...something of which Nicole knows only bits and pieces. But she is content with life in little Mount Olive, North Carolina, with her quirky relatives, tank of lively fish, and plenty of homemade pineapple chutney. Through her online column for the Pretty Fishy Web site, she meets Harrison Michaels, who, much to her dismay, lives in Japan. She attempts to avoid him, but his emails tug at her heart. Then Harrison reveals that he knew her as a child in Japan. In fact, he knows more about her childhood than she does.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rain Song, go HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice sold her first story to David C. Cook for a take-home Sunday School paper called Sprint. The year was 1988, this was her first submission to a paying market, and the check sent to her was for $125.00.

She was on her way!

Since then, Alice has sold articles and devotions to the Upper Room, Alive Now, Standard Publishing, ByLine magazine and others.

In 2006 she sent her novel Rain Songto Bethany House...and the rest is history! She signed a two -book deal and the second, How Sweet It Is will be out in 2009.

God Instances

Some days God has to use a 2x4 to get through my thick skull. Today must be one of those days.

I've found lots of great resources for Bible study lately, so I use two devotionals, a book on prayer, and an older Henry Blackaby Bible study text on the mornings when I have quiet time. I want to have quiet time every day, but unfortunately I let the world get in my way sometimes. So instead of being on-time with lessons that are designed to be done Monday through Friday, sometimes I'm off schedule.

Today it was fascinating to see how each of these four books linked together to give me direction.

I use Stormie Omartian's book, The Power of a Praying Wife, to pray for my husband. It has thirty short chapters, each ending with specific scriptures rewritten into a prayer, so I try to read the chapter that coincides with each days' date. The prayer in chapter 30 is about a vision for the future. One of the verses is Luke 18:27 "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God."


Next I read the October 30th devotion from My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Today's verse is "Without faith it is impossible to please Him..." (Hebrews 11:6). The devotion focuses on how God reveals truth in ways that seem impossible for us. Chambers says that "the life of faith says,'Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I'm going to step out boldly, trusing in Your Word.' " He mentions that stepping out if faith is always a fight, not just sometimes.

After that I opened a devotional that I'm reviewing for my blog called Jesus Take the Wheel by Stuart Migdon. I'm starting a new weekly segment about living a selfless life. It tells the story of Moses -- his birth and adoption, the murder of an Egyptian, and his flight to Midian. Migdon shows how Moses was self inspired, not God inspired, in his actions in Egypt. He believed that his own way was more rational than God's way and it took forty years as a shepherd for Moses to reframe his perspective. He could not be used by God until he had the faith to step out and take actions that would glorify God, not himself.

Finally, I worked on the next day's study of Henry Blackaby and Claude King's Experiencing God. It tells the exact same story of Moses, and asks the question, "Why do we not realize that it is always best to do things God's way?" It leads you to realize that understanding what God is about to do where you are is more important than telling God what you want to do for Him. If we don't cling closely to God and His way, he will leave us to our own devices (Hebrews 3:7-19), and then we will never experience what God wants to accomplish through us.

The message that I got from these lessons is that I am relying too much on my own 'logic' and not on God's plan. It addresses my life over the past few years (trying to define how I would work for the kingdom through writing, teaching, consulting, or coaching) and especially over the past week or so with things we are experiencing as we deal with the last days of my father-in-law's life.

God, please help me to put myself aside and focus totally on you. You know the situations we are facing and how to resolve them for your glory. Please make your desired actions clear so all involved will trust your way instead of our own. I believe there is something big you are trying to do...please don't let me get in the way!

Dangerous Heart

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dangerous Heart
Avon Inspire (October 14, 2008)
by
Tracey Bateman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tracey Bateman published her first novel in 2000 and has been busy ever since. There are two other books in the Westward Hearts Series, Defiant Heart (#1) and Distant Heart (#2)

She learned to write by writing, and improved by listening to critique partners and editors. She has sold over 30 books in six years.
She became a member of American Christian Fiction Writers in the early months of its inception in 2000 and served as president for a year.


Tracey loves Sci-fi, Lifetime movies, and Days of Our Lives (this is out of a 21 year habit of watching, rather than enjoyment of current storylines).

She has been married to her husband Rusty for 18 years, has four kids, and lives in Lebanon, Missouri.


ABOUT THE BOOK

For the past seven years, Ginger Freeman has had one goal: find Grant Kelley and make him pay for allowing her brother to die. Growing up motherless with a father who leads an outlaw gang, Ginger isn’t exactly peaches and cream. So when she finally tracks down Grant on a wagon train headed west, she figured providence had stepped in and given her the chance she’s been waiting for.

On the wagon train, finally surrounded by a sense of family and under the nurturing eye of Toni Rodde, Ginger begins to lose her rough edges. She’s made friends for the first time and has become part of something bigger than revenge. Not only has her heart softened toward people in general, but God has become a reality she never understood before. And watching Grant doctor the pioneers, she’s realized she can’t just kill him and leave the train without medical care. Putting her anger aside, before long, Ginger’s a functioning part of the group.

But when the outlaw gang, headed by her pa, shows up and infiltrates the wagon train, she is forced to question her decision. Only self-sacrifice and her new relationship with God can make things right. But it might also means she loses everything she’s begun to hold dear.

If you would like to read from the first chapter of Dangerous Heart, go HERE

I've Won A New Title!

I am scum mom of the century today.

Chris only has one pair of pants that 'fit'...all the other pairs (which are the exact same type and size) don't fit. Other than the grass stain on the knee, I can't tell which are which and I am evil when I recommend that he wears a different pair. So I let him wear the dirty pair from yesterday.

Kevin has all of a sudden become Mr. Neat. His new pants (which we bought a week or so ago because the others were too tight) collect hair. His new coat collects hair. Even if I clean him before he leaves the house, the clothes apparently collect things on the way to school (yesterday he came running back home so I could get more stuff off of his coat). I told him we could give him a roll of masking tape so he could clean them when he gets to school...that helped a little, but he still broke into tears when I left the room. In addition, the new pants aren't quite tight enough, so all of a sudden he wants to wear his belt (which he refused to wear any other day this year). Of course it isn't where I put it and we can't find it. So I let him wear the dirty pants from yesterday (for some reason he doesn't mind that THESE aren't pristine).

So the boys are happy (well, not unhappy) but the teachers think I'm a scum mom because I send them to school in dirty clothes.

Some days you just can't win!

Less Than Dead

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Less Than Dead
Thomas Nelson (September 9, 2008)
by
Tim Downs


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tim Downs is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University. After graduation in 1976 he created a comic strip, Downstown, which was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate until 1986. His cartooning has appeared in more than a hundred major newspapers worldwide.

His first book, a work of non-fiction, was awarded the Gold Medallion Award in 2000. His first novel, Shoofly Pie, was awarded the Angel Award in 2004, and his third novel, PlagueMaker, was awarded the Christy Award for best suspense novel of 2007. First The Dead, the third book in this Bug Man series came out earlier this year.

Tim lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife Joy.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Some secrets just won't stay buried.
When strange bones surface on a U.S. senator's property, the FBI enlists forensic entomologist Nick Polchak to investigate the forgotten graveyard. Polchak's orders are simple: figure out the mess.

But Polchak, known as the "Bug Man" because of his knowledge of insects and their interaction with the dead, senses darker secrets buried beneath the soil.

Secrets that could derail the senator's presidential bid.

Secrets buried in the history of a quaint Virginia town.

Secrets someone is willing to kill to protect.

With the help of a mysterious local woman named Alena and her uncanny cadaver dogs, Polchak sets out to dig up the truth.

But with a desperate killer hot on his trail, he'll be lucky to wind up anything less than dead.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Less Than Dead, go HERE

Murder on the Old Bunions

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Murder on The Ol' Bunions
Barbour Publishing, Inc (2008)
by
S. Dionne Moore


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SAndra has been writing for years with historicals being her main focus. By the time she had a polished manuscript in hand, historicals were unpopular. She didn't give up though and decided to try her hand at writing a mystery. A cozy mystery.

Her first book, Murder on The Ol' Bunions , released in April of 2008. Book two of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series, Polly Dent Loses Grip, and book three, Eat, Drink and Be Buried will follow in April 2009 and 2010, respectively.

She's almost always running a contest, so drop by her Website, you just might win a free gift!



ABOUT THE BOOK


LaTisha Barnhart’s bunions tell her something’s afoot as she delves deeper into the murder of her former employee, Marion Peters. When LaTisha becomes a suspect, the ante is upped, and she is determined to clear her name and find the culprit.

She’s burping Mark Hamm’s bad cooking to investigate his beef with Marion. . .getting her hair styled at a high falutin’ beauty parlor to see what has Regina Rogane in a snarl. . .playing self-appointed matchmaker between the local chief and a prime suspect. . .and thinking Payton O’Mahney’s music store lease might be the reason he’s singing out of tune when discussion of Marion’s murder arises. LaTisha’s thinking she just might use the reward money to get her bunions surgically removed. But she’s got to catch the crook first.

Small town intrigue, a delightful, vivid cast, and a well-crafted mystery make S. Dionne Moore’s debut novel a must-read! I loved it!~Susan May Warren~Award-winning author of Reclaiming Nick

“S. Dionne Moore has the rare quality of pulling together great characters and compelling plots.”
~Kelly Klepfer~ www.novelreviews.blogspot.com

If you would like to HEAR the first chapter, go HERE and click on the bookcover trailer box!

If you would like to READ, the first chapter of Murder on The Ol' Bunions , go HERE.

What I've Learned in the Past 24 Hours

Philippians 4:3 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

1. God likes to be sure there is no room for misinterpretation:
- Rejoice ALWAYS
- Be joyful ALWAYS
- Give thanks in ALL circumstances

2. When He says "always" and "in all cirumstances" he even means when you are infested with fruit flies.

3. Fruit flies were created by God to have amazing sensory ability...they can smell food and breeding grounds from a very far distance

4. Fruit flies live for 10 days

5. Fruit flies lay eggs frequently, and the eggs can hatch within just a few hours

6. Most fruit flies can find their way back out of a container covered with plastic wrap if there are very small holes in it.

7. Fruit flies know better than to go into an open oven for food

8. They will fly to the highest point of a container to find their way out (therefore using a cut off soda bottle with the top inverted works pretty well as a trap)

9. A fruit fly within four inches of the end of a vacuum cleaner hose will get sucked in

10. Fruit flies can learn...as soon as they hear the sound of the vacuum cleaner they all disappear.

And my personal favorite:
I can be incredibly sadistic when it comes to ridding our home of bugs!

Fruit Fly Frenzy

I like bugs. They are fascinating little creatures when in their own environments. However, my home is NOT their natural habitat...no matter what they think!

Our dear boys, bless their hearts, have been a bit disobedient. I discovered that they have been sneaking sodas, poptarts, and chocolate covered granola bars into the basement to drink/eat while they play wii. They've been told not to eat in the basement, so, crafty as they are, they hid their half empty soda cans along with poptart crumbs, wrappers, and half eaten granola bars in the bathroom trash can.

Please understand that the basement bathroom doesn't get used often, and therefore I don't clean it often -- it's on my once a month rotation unless we are having company. I may have missed my rotation last month for some reason...so it's been a while.

Well, I went down there yesterday. I should have been prepared for the worst when I saw that the door to the bathroom was closed, but I can be a bit naiive. I opened the door and was absolutely swarmed by fruit flies -- I don't think I'm exaggerating much to say that there were a million of them in there. I held my breath so I wouldn't breath any in!

I do have to give the boys credit...their trash actually made it into a trash can! But the smell of rotten soda and crumbs was pretty overwhelming. And every move I made just sent waves of flies out into the other room! I ran out, slammed the door, and went to get a big trash bag. I put it over the trash can and literally ran it up the stairs and out the door....I'm not sure how many flies actually left the house. I grabbed the bug spray and fumigated the bathroom. (WARNING: You really should read the warning on the bottle and not spray it into the air then breath the fumes....).

This morning I went to the kitchen and most of the fruit flies had relocated to the kitchen. They had landed on the cabinet doors, stove top, sink...almost any surface that was flat. I found this great site on the internet that has a ton of labor intensive ways to get rid of them. We are experimenting with the inverted soda bottle, glass container, and several metal containers covered with plastic wrap and filled with either apples or balsamic vinegar. Yes, the kitchen smells...unusual.

I really couldn't wait for the traps to do their dirty work, so I decided to attack with the vacuum cleaner. Now, if you are a bit sadistic, this can be rather fun. If a fruitfly gets within four inches of the hose, it is sucked in almost immediately! The boys thought it was really cool.

Well, we'll see how this all works. So far the apples are attracting more than the vinegar...and the vacuum has definitely won with the highest kill count. I'll update tomorrow to see how well it all works.

Any one know the gestation period of fruit flies?????

Home Another Way

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Home Another Way

Bethany House (October 1, 2008)

by

Christa Parrish

MY THOUGHTS:
I am only half way through this book, and I am anxious to finish it. Christa Parrish has an amazing way with words. Each sentence is a masterpiece -- descriptive yet concise. She spins a story like a spider spins a web -- not a movement is wasted, and when viewed all together it is an ingenious work of beauty and function. I want to know what happens at the end of the book, and I want to read this one slowly, speaking the sentences aloud in my head. It is fascinating to read.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment, tiny infant Sarah Graham was left to be raised by her emotionally distant grandmother. As a child she turned to music for solace and even gained entrance to Juilliard. But her potentially brilliant music career ended with an unplanned pregnancy and the stillborn birth of her child.

In an attempt to escape the past, Sarah, now twenty-seven, is living life hard and fast–and she is flat broke. When her estranged father dies, she travels to the tiny mountain hamlet of Jonah, New York to claim her inheritance. Once there, she learns her father’s will stipulates a six-month stay before she can recieve the money. Fueled by hate and desperation, Sarah settles in for the bitter mountain winter, and as the weeks pass, she finds her life intertwining with the lives of the simple, gracious townsfolk. Can these strangers teach Sarah how to forgive and find peace?

A story of grace, of God’s never-ceasing love and the sometimes flawed, faithful people He uses to bring His purpose to pass.

If you would like to see a video book trailer of Home Another Way, go HERE.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Home Another Way, go HERE


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christa Parrish graduated high school at 16, with every intention of becoming a surgeon. After college, however, her love of all things creative led her in another direction, and she worked in both theatre and journalism.

A winner of Associated Press awards for her reporting, Christa gave up her career after the birth of her son, Jacob. She continued to write from home, doing pro bono work for the New York Family Policy Council, where her articles appeared in Focus on the Family’s Citizen magazine. She was also a finalist in World magazine’s WORLDview short story contest, sponsored by WestBow press. She now teaches literature and writing to high school students, is a homeschool mom, and lives with her family in upstate New York, where she is at work on her second novel.

A Book Review -- Hometown Favorite

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Hometown Favorite
Revell (September 1, 2008)
by
Bill Barton and Henry O. Arnold

NOTE: I havent' had a chance to read this yet, but I'm looking forward to it. I'll post a review when I'm done. I enjoy reading books that take a biblical story, like Job, and put it in a current setting! When you read it, be sure to let me know what you think!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:



Bill Barton is a business partner with Compass Technologies. An active member and volunteer at his church, Hendersonville Chapel, Barton is a regular speaker at services and other events. He lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with his family.



Henry O. Arnold has been a professional actor, writer, and director in theatre, film, and television. He co-wrote and produced the film The Second Chance starring Michael W. Smith and wrote the screenplay for the first authorized film documentary on evangelist Billy Graham, God's Ambassador. Arnold lives in Portland, Tennessee.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Talented, handsome, and personable, Dewayne Jobe rose from humble beginnings in rural Mississippi to play college football in Southern California and beyond. One of the best wide receivers in college ball, Dewayne is assured a promising career in professional football as one of those rare athletes whose exceptional abilities place him in a league of his own.

He easily finds success both on and off the field. Dewayne's got a beautiful, intelligent wife running his lucrative endorsement business and carrying his child and the pristine white picket fence to boot. The only thing lacking is a road sign confirming his address on Easy Street.

But catastrophe looms right around the corner and ultimately strikes with a crushing vengeance. Will Dewayne's faith and character stand the test of such tragedy? Or will he lose everything--including the love of his life?

This modern retelling of the story of Job will capture readers with the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people--and how good people can survive.

Combining realistic sports action and a deadly serious challenge to faith, Hometown Favorite is a story that won't let you up off the turf until the game clock hits zero.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Hometown Favorite, go HERE

"An amazing story of betrayal, forgiveness, redemption and hope. The characters are vibrant and alive. Barton and Arnold have a rare and keen understanding of human nature, making the spiritual truths of this story both profound and compelling."

~Michael W. Smith, recording artist

"Like a close game and a score that just won’t turn around, Dewayne’s true fans and Hometown Favorite readers will appreciate the daunting odds fate doles out and this story’s hard-won outcome."

~Darnell Arnoult, author of Sufficient Grace

That Last Moment of Expectation...

It is 7:05 a.m. on a Monday morning...my last few moments of silence before the day (and the week) kicks off. In two minutes the boys alarm will go off. What will that bring?

I will most likely see a sleepy Kevin, hair all tussled, creeping quietly into my room. He often stands behind me watching me work for a minute until I realize he's there, then he either snuggles on my lap or climbs into my bed until he's fully awake.

Christopher, on the other hand, is an unknown morning surprise. On good days he jumps out of bed, gets dressed in about two minutes flat, runs downstairs to eat his breakfast and then plays happily until it's time to go to school. On 'neutral' days he will turn the alarm off, pull the blankets over his head, and stay in bed until the last possible minute (my preferred morning routine personally!). Then there are the 'wild card' days. He may yell at Kevin for turning off the alarm clock. Or he may yell at him because he DIDN'T turn off the alarm clock! He will decide that he absolutely wants the one thing we don't happen to have for breakfast...then get angry because it isn't available. He hates his uniform, and each piece will not fit well for some reason -- or it will be itchy, smell funny, or just look all wrong when he puts it on.

How will I respond? Some days I'm patient and I talk softly, helping him to see his options and trying to tease him into changing his mood. Most often I do start with that approach, but he knows just how to push my buttons. Comments like "Why do you always buy me clothes I don't like" or "Why don't you ever get any food I like" just tend to hit me the wrong way and I get a bit defensive. Things usually go downhill from there.

I'm the grown up here...and he's a child learning his way in the world. The Bible says I should teach him the way he should go...which means I should set a good example for the way they should act when faced with poor attitudes...

Uh oh...it's 7:15 and the alarm hasn't gone off yet. I went in to wake them up. Kevin started crying because he woke up too late and he's stomping down the stairs. Chris covered his head. Let's see how the morning goes!

On Trial

Last week I had the 'honor' of participating on a jury panel for the first time. To be honest, I was kind of excited about it -- I know that lots of folks dread this, but I really wanted to see how the court system operated.

Well, I'm glad I took a good book! I was able to read the third book in Camy Tang's Sushi Series, Single Sashimi, all the way through on the first day! (This is a fabulous book, by the way. I loved the whole series). About 200 people sat in a large room for two hours before anyone was called to be on a panel of jurors. I was called in the third panel, and for some reason I was chosen to be on the jury.

We heard a felony robbery case. In case you wondered, it was definitely not like anything on tv. The defendant was charged with reaching over the top of a jewelry case in a pawn shop, opening the cabinet and taking out trays of jewelry. No one even checked for fingerprints! The only evidence against him was the memory of the pawn shop owner (somewhat faulty), identification in a line up a month later, and the fact that he sold a piece of the stolen jewelry the next day about three blocks away in another pawn shop (no one said he was smart...).

It was interesting to see the different approaches taken by the lawyers. Actually, the way the defendant's lawyer approached the case made me more convinced that the defendant was guilty than some of the evidence! The jury deliberated for about an hour and we had some good discussions before we finally all agreed -- guilty.

It was two interesting days...and I'm not against doing it again. It was rather fascinating to watch the trial and to see the reactions of twelve different people who all heard the same things. I do have to say that I'm glad I wasn't chosen in the first round of jurors -- those folks 'got' to be sequestered for two weeks!

I also learned that I never want to get a loan from a pawn shop (well, I kind of knew that already...). They charged a slight 283% interest! Amazing.

On His Shoes

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledgs of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. (Luke 1:76-79, NIV)


Do you remember how much fun it was when you were little to stand on someone else's feet while they walked?

It's amazing how difficult it is to successfully stay on the big feet of a grown up when you are a little child. It's easy for your feet to slip off the side since the tops of feet aren't very flat. Often you are going backwards, so you aren't really sure where you are being taken. In addition, if you try to walk yourself instead of relying on the other person to take the steps, you will fall off. The efforts and failures are usually met with giggles and attempts to try again.

The best way is to hold tightly to the person's hands while looking into their eyes. If you relax your legs and trust them to take each step, your tandem walk will be successful!

I want to be like a little child, holding tightly to Jesus' hands and looking into his eyes as I relax my legs and let him do the walking for me. My heart trusts that he has my best interests in mind and that he won't walk me into a wall or a piece of furniture, but my head still doesn't quite get it. I want to see where I'm going, but to do so I have to take my eyes off of him and twist my body in such a way that I can easily fall off his feet. I want to influence the path he travels, so I try to move my legs, hoping that his feet will go in the same direction -- it always ends in failure.

His path is peaceful, mine is full of landmines and stress. Why do I fight so hard to have my own way? But at least it is helpful for me to think that he may be giggling with me as I fail, and that he patiently lets me climb up on his feet again to keep trying until I get it right!

It's a Nice Donut, but....

Last night I let Sammi and the boys buy a dozen donuts for our 'bedtime snack' and breakfast today. They went on an adventure, and each chose two donuts that were to be set aside for them. To fill the box, Sammi chose a few long johns and rounded out the dozen.

The boys were a bit miffed when I told them to select one of the two donuts they had chosen as their bedtime snack. I guess they wanted to save those for last! Then, this morning, Sammi took her last selected donut and a long john for her friend.

Kevin woke up (early, which may explain a lot), went to the donut box and broke into tears. He was really upset that someone had taken all except for one of the long johns. He was angry that there were so few donuts left. I told him that his specially selected donut was still there, but that wasn't good enough! I allowed him to have the one chocolate long john that was left instead of his special donut, but he still sniffled and whimpered through the whole thing. I'm sure it tasted like cardboard in his mouth.

It occurred to me that his response is unfortunately the same response most of us have in today's society. We have the things we chose, our jobs, homes, spouses, stuff, and yet we want something else. A bigger house, a bigger paycheck, more stuff. Then, even when we have more than we chose or need, we are still dissatisfied that someone else has more! When will we learn to be content with the wonderful blessings that we have?

I know that a lot of people are really hurting right now. They are having a really tough time making ends meet. There are a record number of foreclosures in our town (actually, we have the highest rate of foreclosures in the state), many people are out of work, and prices continue to increase with no end in sight. I don't want to downplay the difficulties that these folks are going through.

But so much of our lives are the results of choices that we make. We choose to live in a place that we really can't afford. We want stuff NOW, so we put it on charge, hoping we can pay it off later. We are dissatisfied with our jobs and want 'more, better, sooner' without being willing to take the effort to get more training, put in more effort, or go the extra mile. Or even to get an additional job to pay off some of our stuff. And even when we know what needs to be done to correct a situation, we don't change our behavior in a way that makes a difference.

Paul said he had learned to be content in any situation:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content
whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it
is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every
situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I
can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:11-13 (NIV)

I want that level of contentment! I want to look around me and acknowledge that God has given me not only what I have selected as a result of my actions, but more indeed! I want to rejoice in that and focus on what really matters -- not the amount of donuts in the box, but the fact that I can hold one in my hand and bite into it's sweet, gooey goodness! Lord, please don't let me lose the joy you have given me because I'm looking at what I don't have. Help me to be content with the wonderful things you give me each day. Help me to make choices that honor you!

One Day At A Time

How are you different today than you were one year ago? How about 30 days ago? Other than being just a bit older, that is!

I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I decided on August 1 that I wanted to strengthen my arms. I read that push ups are a really good exercise for this, but I knew I couldn't do many. So I decided to just do one more each day. I started with one, and by the end of the month I could do 30 (ok, they were 'girl' push ups and I have to rest for a couple of minutes after 20)!

Knowing that my form could be improved, I decided to stick with the 30 each day and work on keeping my back straight, doing all thirty without a break, and moving toward full 'toe' push ups. In the meantime I decided to add sit ups to my challenge. I'm up to three, which isn't too hard yet, but I know it will get tougher as time goes on!

This 'one day at a time' thinking has really challenged me. I decided to post one thing each day on freecycle, helping to declutter my house over the course of the month. I know -- I could add one more thing each day, but let's take it slow!

I'm not sure what I'll add in October...maybe running for one minute more each day. Running for thirty minutes straight? I've never done that in my life! But at just one minute more each day it doesn't seem impossible.

What can you do just a bit each day? I'd love to have you join in my challenge!

Brotherly Love

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (NIV)

Christopher slept in this morning. That's pretty unusual for him -- especially when Kevin wakes up earlier. However, we have learned not to wake him up or we regret it! He can be a real bear when he hasn't had enough sleep.

So I was presuming that today would be a good day...oops! Well, it still will be, but it sure didn't start off that way!

Chris ate his breakfast and went to play on the computer. The computer went through a maintenance scan of some sort, so he had to wait for it to complete before he could pull up the game he wanted to play. Kevin, in his normal mode, went in to the computer room to see what was going on. Chris tried to hide the computer screen for some reason, and Kevin pushed him out of the way. An argument pursued over whose turn it should be.

So I said that Chris could have the computer uninterrupted for 30 minutes, then it would be Kevin's turn. Oops -- there goes Mount Vesuvius. Chris wasn't at all happy that I limited his time. Crying, screaming, and banging caused Chris to lose his computer time. He ran screaming to his room, kicking and throwing things (he's pretty good at throwing tantrums). I told him calmly (I think...) that if he kicked or threw one more thing he would not be able to use the computer at all today. He ran to his bed, covered up completely and started shouting that he hated me once I left the room. Ugh...

A few minutes later, while crying was still loud, I happened to see Kevin sneak up the stairs. He had the cat in his arms. Knowing that Chris is not a very good bunk mate when he's mad, I braced myself for shouts of 'get out of here' and 'leave me alone'. I watched from behind my bedroom door as Kevin snuck up to his doorway and gently put the cat down, sort of pushing her into the bedroom. She went the other way, and he picked her up and tried again. Kevin then raced back down the stairs.

She was exactly what he needed. Chris saw the cat, stopped crying, and picked her up. They lay on the bed together for about ten minutes. Then Chris let her go, got up and went downstairs like nothing ever happened.

It is fascinating for me to watch the interactions between twins. They have very different personalities, and they know exactly which buttons to push to make the other one crazy. However, when things get tough, they also know exactly what to do to help the other one feel better.

It makes my heart melt to see how much they care for each other, even if they would never admit it. This is one of those moments I want to treasure in my heart!

A Penny Saved...

Yesterday I finally took the boys to Target so they could buy the Pokemon cards they've been begging for. They carefully counted out their 'spending' money and filled their pockets with one-dollar bills and quarters.

When we got there, Kevin discovered that he was two dollars short of what he needed. They knew before they left the house that the cards would cost them $10 plus tax. Chris brought $11, and Kevin only brought $9.

When Kevin realized that he didn't have enough money to buy a set of cards for himself, his face fell. He gave me that 'expectant' look, hoping that I would bail him out and pay the rest. I asked if he had another two dollars in his spending jar at home with the intent of loaning him the money until we got back home. He didn't because he had made a choice on the last 'payday' to put more of his money into savings that the amount we required him to save. We praised him at the time for his willingness to save for the future. But that meant he didn't have enough for this purchase.

So I told him that he wouldn't be able to buy the cards. He sniffled a little and looked sad, but he handled it pretty well.

I almost told him that he could take two dollars back out of savings to pay for the cards. And it would be so easy for me to just give him two dollars and let him have what he wanted right now. Sammi was with us, and I could see she was biting her lip because she wanted to help, too. But we knew that if we let him have something he couldn't afford this time that it would be one more lesson that could have dangerous repercussions later in life. Even though the money was in his savings jar, he needed to learn that it was important to maintain those savings for the bigger things he wanted to have later.

It's sad to look around America today and see so many people who haven't learned this lesson. We use charge cards or buy big things with 'no payments due until 2010' despite the fact that we don't have the money right now. But what does that matter? I can easily pay it off at $50/month! We spend our money on things we want right now, bigger cars, cable tv, nice clothes because they are 'on sale', or big gifts for others, but in the process we run out of the means to pay for the very basic things we need. And when tragedy comes (and it will) in the form of lost jobs, illness, expensive car repairs, or natural disaster, we don't have any money saved to provide shelter and food for our families because we chose near-term pleasure.

I know that I am prone to buy beyond our means. It is hard for me to go into a Target store and not come home with a cartful of great things -- things that are definitely useful but not necessary. The same thing happens in the grocery store -- as I've reported before, if I don't have a list and a limited amount of cash, I'll buy all kinds of great and interesting foods. Through many sessions of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, we're continuing to learn how to manage the money God provides for us, but it's not easy. We have to set aside cash each month for specific things, food, household goods, doctors visits, entertainment, etc., and when the cash is gone (even if it's the third day of the month), our spending in that category has to stop. Even if there is a big sale!

I really hate discipline. I don't like to exercise, I want to eat whatever sounds good, and daily chores are a bore. But I have to admit, there is an amazing peace in knowing that we are prepared for a variety of 'emergencies' like car problems and that we can enjoy a vacation that is paid for because we've saved in advance!

I hope Kevin will be able to have that peace as an adult, too. He may never remember having to wait two weeks for a pack of Pokemon cards, but I hope he gains a sense of pride from being able to pay for it in full all by himself. And someday, when he uses that saved money for a large purchase like a bike or even a car, he will know that he is capable of having what he wants free and clear as long as he plans ahead and works for it!

The Lord's Steps versus mine

It's odd, but I feel like I'm in that 'desert place' while at the same time I am "lying down in green pastures and being led beside quiet waters". There is so much that I am learning right now about God and myself, yet I can't really put it into words.

The verse that has been put before me several times lately is Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." I've heard this on the radio, I've seen it in devotions, I read it as part of a Bible study, and it's even been sent to me in a note from a friend. Ok, I am starting to get the message!

For quite a while now I've been frustrated that I can't seem to accomplish the things I set out to do each day. So this week I decided to stop planning out my day -- or maybe it would be better to say that I 'planned' not to have specific things done but just to follow along with the events of the day. As a result, I've been 'in the right place at the right time' to provide support to others in ways that I never expected. I won't go into any details, but I've had such a change of heart about several events. Had I planned out my day, these things would have felt like interruptions and I might have been a bit resentful. But since I'd decided to take things as they came, I was amazingly blessed by being able to accomplish more than I'd dreamed possible -- some things have had tangible results, others intangible.

God has brought to mind the names of people I've not thought of for quite a while, and I tried to pay attention. When this happened I stopped what I was doing and prayed for them, then I called or wrote to a few of them. In almost each case, there was something very timely going on that required prayer, and I was able to see how God's nudges mean 'take action'. He has been amazingly gracious in letting me see some of the results of his requests, which helps me to be more trusting when his requests don't seem to make much sense.

I still don't have any idea what God wants me to do with my life...and I need to just stop trying to figure that out. Right now I'm convinced that he wants me to learn to listen and obey...and to stop setting my own plans. Sometimes that means the house doesn't get clean...and I have to be ok with that (that one's pretty easy!). Other times it means that I may feel bored or unchallenged for a time, but in reality I'm learning to be challenged in new and different ways.

There are a couple of key books/studies I'm doing that are offering amazing insights -- maybe these will help you too if you are in a similar place.

Beth Moore's Stepping Up Bible Study
Lisa TerKeurst's What Happens When Women Walk in Faith
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning and Charles Brock
Susan Hill's Closer Than Your Skin
and a new one I just started, Donna Partow's Becoming The Woman God Wants Me To Be.

Wait on the Lord

It's been a while since I wrote anything. While life has been at its normal busy pace, I can't blame my schedule. The truth is I just didn't feel like I had anything to write.

As writers we are told to keep on writing even when you don't feel inspired to do so. And so I do, but often the results aren't worthy of sharing.

God has been working in my heart in ways that cannot be explained. I want to step up my commitment, my worship, and my obedience to Him. To do so I have to step back and examine where I really am and why I hold myself back from total devotion.

It's so easy to get caught up in 'feeling'. I want to have emotional, tangible sensations of God in my life -- mountaintop experiences. I do see God at work every day -- in each new plant that springs from the ground (oh...is THAT why they call it spring??), in the joy of a new parent showing off her baby at church, in the way a hummingbird gently tests each flower to see if it holds sweet food. But I don't always feel him at work in my heart.

Nevertheless I know he is there. I know that each day he has a lesson for me to learn. I wish I could say that I pay attention to them all, but some weeks go by and I think I must be sleeping through his class. But he is patient and he continues to repeat each lesson until he knows I 'get it'.

There are many things that I want to be doing for him right now, but he keeps telling me to wait...all things in HIS time. I wish I could get past the perspective that I should be doing something that feels worthwhile (there's that feeling thing again), but he keeps telling me to be worthwhile where I am. My desire to see results is really just an earthly desire. The results he wants may never be seen in my lifetime, and I have to trust that the little things he wants me to do right now are worthwhile from his perspective.

God reminded me today of the verses that are the basis for the name of this blog -- Lamentations 3:22-26.

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

Waiting quietly is a lesson he's trying to teach. I hope I get it down before he has to bring out the 2x4!

Favorite Book?

The Dabbling Mum writes several columns that are full of great information and are fun to read. She has newsletters for parents, writers, and those who operate home businesses.

This month she has a great contest (check it out here) to give away several books. However, it involves a challenge that is almost impossible for me to achieve -- choose your all time favorite book!

What is a favorite book? One that I read recently that caused me to set a new goal to read every book ever written by that author? If so I'd have to choose between The Valley of Betrayal by Tricia Goyer and Amber Morn by Brandilyn Collins.

Or, is it a book that has changed the way I look at things? In that case it would be Believing God by Beth Moore or The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormy Omartian.

Tough decisions. But I finally decided to choose a somewhat unconventional book that probably influenced the way I think early in my life -- The Penguin That Hated The Cold. This is a wonderful Disney story about Pablo, a penguin who isn't constrained by what the rest of the penguin world thinks is appropriate. He tries several methods of leaving the South Pole with little success, but he perseveres and finally finds a way to accomplish his dream of a warmer climate. There are problems along the way, but he uses his creativity to solve them and he's rewarded with the a warm, beachy life that he loves.

I, too, dislike the cold and love the beach. I also have been known to go against the grain once in a while and push for something I believed in even though everyone else thought I was crazy. Pablo is one of my role models and heroes (even though he's just a figment of someone's imagination).

Check out the eight books that the Dabbling Mum is giving away. I'm most interested in the one by Bill Myers, The Voice. It involves someone who steps outside of his comfort zone to help others and finds that the world isn't quite as he expected.

So, what is your favorite book?

What a Week!

Well, actually two weeks. Last week I had the privilege of attending the greatest conference for Christian writers at Mt. Hermon, CA. Once I got past my awe of the massive redwood trees and the incredible number of authors who I admire, I learned new things almost every minute of the day! Days started at 7:15 with worship in the woods and could have ended around midnight it I attended the night owl sessions that started at 9:30. My internal clock shuts down around 9:00 central time...I just couldn't make myself stay up that late.

The most amazing thing about the conference was the care that each attendee and faculty member had for others. I've been to a writers conference in the past where I felt that I had to continually prove that I was good enough to be there. At Mt. Hermon everyone just assumed we were all writers and they wanted to encourage others to improve their craft (no matter how many books they had or hadn't published). I was excited the woman who critiqued my Bible study proposal (who is only one of the best writers about Christian writing there is....)liked it and thought it was important to share! Yeah God! He's put this one on my heart for several years and any value in it is definitely his doing. Then, on top of that, a publisher wanted to see it!

While I was gone, Sammi went through a tough time. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst the size of an egg -- Doug had to take her to four different doctor appointments! Our good friend Tammy Balu stepped in to take Sammi to her first OB/GYN appointment -- thank you Tammy! It was hard to be so far away and not to be able to be with Sammi. When all was said and done, Sammi is having surgery on Thursday to drain the cyst. The doctor promises she can play full contact soccer within a week (however the doctor who reset her broken nose and her parents disagree)!

She and I have a great opportunity for bonding over the next week, because I'm having surgery on my shoulder tomorrow. We plan to have a chick flick marathon while we are foggy with drugs...sounds fun, huh?

I finished revising the Bible study for the publisher and I hit the 'send' button a little earlier this morning -- YEAH! Now I get to hold my breath until I hear back from them -- in about six months (ugh). I'm not really nervous about this -- I understand that what will be will be, and if they don't want it there are other places to try for publication. I am also excited about a new series of studies that Alicia and I are going to work on together! Maybe if I keep busy I'll forget all about the study I just submitted until I receive that acceptance letter (ok...I'm dreaming about it a little)!

Life is such an adventure and God is so good!

And the Results are In!

Well, after all is said and done, we saved $334 on our food bill in February! That means we spent a total of $66!!!

And our freezer is still at least 1/3rd full...so we may be able to save some of our food money in March, too. But if we do, I think we'll save it for those times when really good sales come along (so I can refill that freezer and do this all over again!).

In the process, we didn't spend all of the eating out money we had allocated for the month, either, so we didn't cheat by eating out.

What did we eat this month? In 29 days we didn't repeat one thing! We had Baked chicken, meat loaf, turkey pot pie, steak, spaghetti, orange roughhy, tilapia, parmesan chicken legs, pot roast, and lots of similar things. We really had good stuff in the freezer!

So, what did we learn with this experiment?

1. I store up way too much stuff. I need to decide a reasonable amount to keep around on a regular basis (maybe 3 cans or boxes of any one thing)and a maximum amount in case there is a really good sale (maybe a two month supply).

2. If you plan your menu in advance based on things you already have or items that are on sale, it's pretty easy to spend less.

3. I MUST have a list and a calculator when I go to the store! And it helps if I'm not hungry. And I have to stay away from things that might be on sale if they aren't on my list!

4. It is really helpful to have a menu for the week...I remember to get things out of the freezer to thaw more naturally in the fridge instead of trying to cook them while still frozen. And I don't have that panic of 'what are we going to eat tonight' every night at 4:00.

5. There are very few meals that every member of our household likes! (Ok, I knew this one, but it was validated). AND at least two people liked any particular meal I made this month...unless we switch to only pizza, tacos, and hamburgers I will not be able to change this one. I learned not to post the daily menu or people would magically disappear (especially on fish night). However, that, too, can reduce our food bill!

6. I can't fill up every night with a menu item...we need down time for leftovers and those nights when everyone wants something light like grilled cheese or soup. And I have to be flexible enough to rearrange the menu items based on what I or others feel like cooking/eating.

7. Things in the freezer really do expire...I had to throw away several bags of frozen veggies (and a cheer went up in our household) because they were freezer burned.

The only things we ran out of during the month were soda (I was REALLY craving a Mountain Dew during that last week), cereal, instant oatmeal (I'm the only one who eats that), bottled water, and canned veggies. And I was able to replace almost all items we had to have for our first week of March within the regular weekly budget.

I declare this experiment a success!

The One That Got Away

Have you ever seen or heard something that caused you to look back at the choices you've made in your life? I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Charlene Binder, the new senior vice president and chief people officer of the Hershey company. She will oversee global human resources, corporate communications, and facilities management.

Ms. Binder is 47 years old.

I turned 47 just a few days ago, and my last job was as a human resources executive.

Our lives are very different...but a few subtle changes in the decisions each of us had made could have resulted in a sort of 'Trading Places' scenario.

Please don't misunderstand what I am writing. I'm not saying that I could take her job or that her choices are in any way wrong. Nor are mine. They are just different, and a series of small choices can end up in very different outcomes.

I don't know anything about her personal life...if she's married or has children. I do know that she has changed companies at least three times. She worked for Unilever from 2001 - 2006, and for Group Danone (Dannon Yogurt) recently. Her new job will include the benefit of unlimited chocolate.

So is this typical midlife evaluation and comparison? Maybe, but the result of this particular review is relief and peace. As I got ready this morning I thought about the things she must be going through this morning. She doesn't start her new job for a few weeks, but I imagine she's a bundle of nerves and energy. She faces saying goodbye to friends and collegues at her current company. She may be packing up her life and her family as she heads to a new location, and soon she will have to jump on a steep learning curve to understand a new company, new people, and new challenges in her job.

Today I face a quite different scenario. After we all get ready, I'll drop the boys off at school and Sammi will run some errands with me (her school is closed today due to power outages). We'll hit the bank, the grocery store, Target, and a few other places. This afternoon I'll struggle some more with my book proposal as I prepare to submit it for critique and I'll do some house cleaning. My near future includes a trip to Jackson Tennessee with my folks and Doug's parents to see our oldest, Alicia, perform her senior recital...one of the final requirements for her college graduation. Next week I'll travel to California to attend what has been billed to be an amazing Christian Writer's conference. I expect to be overwhelmed with my lack of ability and to develop a plan for improving my skills so I can do what I believe I'm being called to. My job includes increasingly limited hugs.

I wouldn't trade my life for anything. Not even all the chocolate I can eat!

Charlene, I pray that you, too, are right where you want to be in life. I wish you the best in your new position.

The Shocking Truth

I like to consider myself a good grocery shopper...well, actually I like to think that I'm a better shopper than most. How quickly we fall from the pedestals we build!

Ok, like I said in my last blog, I went to the store for milk, eggs, bananas, and lettuce. It's raining, so I dug around for a dry cart and headed merrily on my way to the produce department. Bananas - $.59/lb. Hmm...they used to be $.50 -- bummer, everything is going up. But today I don't need to weigh my purchase because I'm only buying four things -- I should stay well under my budget of $20. (Key ominous music)

Right across the aisle -- grapes on sale for $1.88. Yum, we haven't had grapes for a long time, and that's a lot cheaper than last time I looked. I picked up a bag and set them in the cart. Off to the lettuce. I picked one out, shook off the extra water (that adds weight), bagged it and moved on without my usual stop at the scale to price it.

I drooled a little at the blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries (are you detecting a trend?). Nope...don't need them and they are expensive this time of year. I slowly walked away...toward the bags of lemons. Oh, yeah, the recipe for tomorrow calls for lemon juice. I know I could make it without, but I have extra money today so why don't I follow the recipe (for once...no comments by those who have to EAT my cooking)? I picked one up and remembered that Wednesday's dinner requires two limes. I got them and wrapped them proudly in the nice green plastic bags that preserve food for longer (just like the expensive ones on tv).

I glanced at the asparagus and corn on the cob (we're basically out of veggies), but they were pretty expensive so I passed them by. As I was leaving the produce department I remembered that we only have two potatoes so I grabbed a 10 pound bag (SO much less expensive per pound that a 5 lb bag).

Walking down the bread aisle I remembered that we have hamburgers that could to be cooked (it was one of the preplanned menu items). I was going to bake them in gravy with mushrooms, but the kids (including Doug) would probably prefer real burgers, so I grabbed a bag of hamburger buns.

Next I rushed past the meat, straining to see if there were any orange "manager's special" tags showing that it's a great deal for someone who wants to freeze it or eat it right away. I talked myself in to moving on...I CAN do this!

I picked up my eggs and a gallon of milk and rushed past all the slow shoppers to the express check out lane. I mentally listed all the things that I wanted to buy but passed up, proud that I could stick to the things that we really needed. I talked with the cashier about the impending weather as she rang up my purchases.

Guess what...$19.77!!!! I couldn't believe it! How in the world did I spend that much money...I thought I'd get out of there for less than $15! Bummer...

On the way home I thought about my trip. I broke FIVE of my most important shopping rules:

1. Don't shop when you are hungry (it was 11:30 -- I planned to eat when I got home).
2. Have a menu (then I would have known that the potatoes and the hamburger buns could wait until Thursday -- or even NEXT week)
3. Check the fridge and pantry before you leave and make a list (I had my mental list of four things)
4. Bring your calculator and USE it! I could have even mentally totalled things up to know that I was getting myself in trouble.
5. Follow the list!!!!!

My shopping gremlin (I call her Greta) beat me again. She knows exactly how much money I have and will fill the cart so that all is spent. Her favorite store is Target, but obviously she likes the grocery store, too.

So, even though I've gotten pretty good at this thrifty shopping gig, I obviously MUST stick to the rules or my years of training go down the drain!

The Home Stretch

I know it's already March, but we are in the final days of our 'Frugal February' experiment. Since I shop on Thursdays, I can't go back to our 'regularly budgeted shopping' until this Thursday, three days away.

I didn't make it to the store last Thursday due to sick children (don't enter our house these days without a can of Lysol!). I planned on going this morning because we are almost out of milk and we only have two more eggs...not enough to last us until Thursday! I also want to pick up a head of lettuce (we are out of all veggies except frozen brocolli...I can't serve that EVERY night!) and some bananas. I guess I'll do that later when Doug or one of the girls gets home (although I'm dreading it because we are supposed to get an ice storm with 4 - 6 inches of snow accumulation tonight so the place will be a madhouse).

Based on my 'rebellion' nights, I still have several menu options available from my original list. AND the freezer still isn't empty! I think I'll try to spend only half of my allotted budget in March...although that will be harder since the kids will be home for Spring Break and I'll be out of town during a lot of that time.

Later this week I'll post our final results and my lessons learned. This has actually been a fun challenge for me!

They Are Still Little Boys...

One of my favorite things about being a mom is snuggling with my kids. As they grow, the snuggles last about 10 seconds...a quick hug is all I can expect. The boys are growing quickly, and I can see that hugging is not nearly as 'cool' as it was when they were four. But both boys still need their 'mommy time', and it plays out in fun ways!

Kevin will come see me at least two times per day. He'll ask "Whatchya doin, Mom?" and he'll just stand there for a minute. If I turn around and slightly put my arms out, he'll quickly climb on my lap or let me pick him up (which gets more challenging every day as he grows!). He'll let me cuddle him (with little response, of course) for a couple of minutes and he tries hard not to let me see him smile. When his 'cuddle bucket' is full, he climbs down and goes on his way.

Chris, on the other hand, would never want to be seen on my lap or in my arms. Instead, he'll ask me to watch a movie with him. I used to turn down this request because I seldom feel like I have an hour and a half to 'just sit', but I quickly realized this is his request for cuddles. We'll curl up under a blanket and he'll snuggle really close while we watch the show. He's happy to let me stroke his hair or hug him tighter, but of course he pretends not to notice. He doesn't want me to watch tv shows with him...only long movies. I like taking the time to focus on him even if it feels like I'm being lazy. And it doesn't take long before Kevin joins in and sits on my other side...a Mom sandwich!

The girls will still give me hugs, which I love, but as I watch our brood grow I know the days of hugs will reduce significantly when Sammi heads off to college in two years. By that time I expect the boys will deny that they even have a cuddle bucket. Tough...I'll still give them hugs!

Menu Making Woes...

For those of you who know me well, you know that I have trouble following directions. It's not that I can't, it's just that I don't want to! I like to come up with new ways that seem SO much better...sometimes that works well and other times it doesn't. Even when I created the instructions in the first place!

So, remember I planned a months worth of meals to get us through Frugal February? With the exception of the fish days, our family was happy with the meals I'd planned. Well, somewhere around the third week I got bored with what had been planned. There were too many "big" meals (the kind they would eat on Sundays in the 50's) and not enough easy stuff or left over days. So we 'concocted' and came up with some other meals that still fit into the criteria.

Maybe next time I'll create menus for 6 weeks, with at least one 'figure out what sounds good' day each week.

However, I am learning creative ways to use up left overs so I don't end up throwing them away or trying to figure out what the green fuzzy stuff is in the back of the fridge! Here are a few of my ideas:

Cut left over meatloaf into squares and add chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and pasta for Italian Wedding Soup

Put left over turkey in a pie crust with frozen (or left over) veggies, Southern style hash brown potato squares, leftover turkey gravy, and a can of cream of mushroom soup with garlic. Top with another pie crust for Turkey Pot Pie

That recipe works well with leftover roast or stew, too...just cut the meat, potatoes, and carrots into small pieces, put in a crust with gravy and top off for a Beef Pot Pie

Left over chicken, rice (either rice a roni or rice pilaf) and chicken broth make great soup. You can add veggies or even exchange left over stuffing for the rice for variety.

Leftover pork chops can be cut up and added to rice, fresh cut up veggies (carrots, celery, brocolli, whatever) and/or frozen peas, scrambled eggs, and soy sauce for great fried rice.

I just put the leftovers in the freezer for the future if we are tired of that kind of meat that week and I use them in the future!

What do you do with leftovers?

Free Book!

Check out my book review blog today -- I am giving away two books that help you learn to be close to God in a more tangible way!

Bunch of Stuff

Our ice storm last week made me realize some interesting things!

First, remember last Wednesday when I said I was seeing my children as my area of service and working to not see them as interruptions to my 'real work'? Guess what the first words out of my mouth were when we found out it was going to be a snow day! Oh, no...how am I going to get everything done!!! Guess that lesson hasn't quite sunk in yet. God is laughing!

On the Frugal Front, I had been dreading my typical Thursday grocery shopping trip because it was $10 coupon day! If I spent $50, I'd save $10...but we had only budgeted $20 for the week. Was I going to pass up on 20% savings? I had planned to, but I knew I would be frustrated and would probably pout (who me????). So, enter the ice storm! We had enough to get us through and I didn't have to shop until Sunday when there were less temptations. Even saving $10 isn't a deal if you don't really need anything. Instead of saving $10 this week I actually saved $85...from our regular budget.

I usually avoid the grocery store on Sat and Sun like the plague...too many people! But on Sunday Sammi was making cookies and ran out of eggs so I decided to brave the crowd (it was either that or waste the margarine/sugar she'd already mixed!). However, with my nice short list, I didn't have to enter the main aisles at all. I got my breads (bagels, hot dog buns, sliced French bread), eggs, milk, and margarine then I went quickly through the self check out lanes -- less than $14! It's so fun to do that!

The month is quickly coming to a close, but since Thursday is the shopping day we plan, I have one more week of frugal shopping before I can spend my regularly budgeted amount. I'm starting to get a list of things we need to restock, but with the possible exception of green beans/corn (no more green beans and only one can of corn), it looks like we are going to make it just fine. Guess I'll just have to get fresh produce to make up for that slight...our bodies won't know how to deal with it!

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God Is So Smart...

Sometimes I look at what I've accomplished (or haven't accomplished is more like it) since I've been off work (almost three years now!), and I get a little frustrated with myself. Surely I should have more to show for all this 'leisure' time, shouldn't I? If you would have asked me a couple of years ago, I would have expected to have a perfectly organized/clean house, amazing gardens, completed scrapbooks, and a ton of published articles or maybe a book by now. For the most part none of these things happened.

Most days the house is MUCH better than it used to be, we eat real meals, and the grass is actually a little greener. I have a few rejection letters to show that I wrote a little bit, but not nearly as many as I should have if I'd been writing/submitting the way I expected to. And scrapbooks? I've organized some photos, but haven't made any progress on the 8 - 10 scrapbooks I have in various stages of completion! This lack of accomplishment really had me bummed for a while...I didn't feel very successful in this new role.

But God is showing me some very important things. It's not the 'things' that get done that are so important. In this time I have learned a lot about myself, my family, and my God. Some of these things I knew before but didn't really admit, like the fact that I'm not very good at completing the really cool things I start. So much so that I will actually take on more things so I have a good excuse not to finish the old ones!

There are several 'things' I have accomplished, but in reality it's the fact that I'm available to my family that has made the biggest difference. While I love them immensely, in the past I think I saw them as distractions to the work I thought was supposed to get done...the housecleaning, memory preserving, and service opportunities. I know now that my family IS the place I am to serve. I can sit and watch a movie with Christopher when he wants to cuddle (heaven forbid he just sit on my lap without a good reason!), to sit with the girls when they don't really have anything important to do or say...for a while (it always pops up after a period of time, but I never waited long enough before), and to just be available to pick them up, cart them around, or be here when they are sick. I can't imagine how we would have made it through the last six months if I were working 60 hour weeks and travelling every other week!

My perceptions of 'success' are being turned upside down, or maybe rightside up. God is telling me that this year is to be one of decluttering (life and home) and finding peace among the busyness. I'm learning to be still, and I'm starting to like it!

They say that the best way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans! He knows what the future holds for me, and he will get me prepared in advance. I want to just trust Him because I know He knows best -- and that is what real success looks like.

I Love a Great Deal!

I went into Walgreen's today to pick up a prescription. I planned to take a look at the left over Valentine's day candy to see if there might be anything that would work for Easter. I saw a big bin with a sign that said all Valentine's candy was now $1.00, so I figured I'd dig through it. As I was looking, the cashier came by and said that they had just reduced the price to .25 per item!!! I got about $35 worth of candy for only $4.50! And there was some cool stuff...large chocolate bees filled with sweet-tart type bees, crispy chocolate playing cards, and some spongebob things. Almost all of it could apply to any holiday, not just Valentine's Day. And, besides, Easter is all about love, too, right?

Just a note...I paid for these out of our 'Target' envelope, where I usually purchase gifts and things related to holidays, so I didn't dip into our grocery money for this.

Walgreen's also has good deals on makeup on occasion. When one color goes out of style or packaging changes, they sell the 'extinct' stuff for 75% off. Unless you are picky about brands you can get a great deal on cosmetics AS LONG AS you don't buy something just because it's a good price! Just watch for orange tags along the cosmetics wall.

So run, don't walk, to your local drugstore to see if you can get similar deals!

Frugal Doesn't Mean Stingy

It's been a crazy week because Sammi had her surgery (which went well, by the way), but things have been a little off kilter.

I did go to the grocery store on Thursday last week for $10 coupon day. In retrospect, I'm glad I waited to spend the rest of the stock up money until the middle of the month...I ended up getting much less than I originally thought I really needed to get through the month. After spending the $50 for stocking up, I only needed about $15 of the 'regular' money I'd set aside for this week (milk, oranges, apples, potatoes).

I found that I had a lot of difficulty sticking to my plan...there were so many great things on sale this week. I really wanted to buy 50% off Valentine's candy, and I actually put something yummy in my cart (ha...I can't even remember what it was now!) that I made myself take back out before I checked out.

I had a horrible moment of selfishness the other day. We have always had an 'Open Pantry" policy...for the most part the kids and their friends are welcome to anything they can find to eat. I got home and found that some teens had had pop tarts for a snack and I almost panicked...we wouldn't have enough for the month! Luckily I caught myself before I said anything. I do NOT want to be legalistic or stingy during this...and I hate that I felt that way. When I re-evaluated, I found that I have more than enough for the rest of the month, and I know that the boys won't die if their systems get something healthier for breakfast a few days! So, y'all come on over for some poptarts!

To the Store

Well, I never made it to ShopNSave on Thursday. Kevin was home sick with the flu, Alicia was trying to find ways to help with the storm damage in Union and I didn't want to be too far away from the phone, and Doug was in California. But really, the only thing we were out of was bananas.

Friday night we had breakfast for supper and I used up the eggs. Sunday we heard that the weather was going to get bad, so I decided to hit the grocery store quickly. It was kind of fun! I went in with just milk, bananas, sour cream, and eggs on my list. I know how tempted I can be in the store, so I just grabbed the little hand-held basket instead of a cart. I was pleased -- I just got what was on the list (although I have to admit that I looked closely at the meat to see if there were any great 'Manager Special' deals...gee, I wonder how our freezer got so full!!). So, for week one I spent about $9.

This Thursday is $10 coupon day, so I'll get the rest of the 'stock up' stuff I didn't get in January with the $50 I have left from then. But honestly, I haven't looked at that list and I can only think of one or two things that are on it. I may be able to get by without spending much of this week's money!

For all practical purposes, the girls are unaware that anything is different. They know what we are doing, but the only thing they are missing at the moment is a case of water (one of those things on my stock up list), which I'll get for them on Thursday. AND it won't hurt them to just refill their plastic bottles...

I am really liking the monthly menu planning process. While we don't necessarily eat what I had planned for that night, I just move things around on a weekly basis. I know what I have to defrost in advance, and meal prep is so much easier when I'm not staring at the pantry trying to figure out what sounds good.

Just an aside...my mom ordered the green plastic bags from TV that are supposed to keep your fruits and vegetables fresh longer...she gave me a few and we tested them out. They work really well -- bananas stay fresh for a week! The other day I noticed that the plastic bags in the produce department at ShopNSave are a green color now. I played scientist and tried one of those bags against the ones Mom bought. Believe it or not they worked JUST AS WELL! I'll have to test it against clear bags next.

Week One -- Frugal February Grocery 'Fast'

Isn't it interesting how life intervenes in your best made plans? I had intended to make my final grocery store 'run' on January 31. I typically shop on Thursdays because our local Shop N Save often has coupons for $10 off any $50 purchase. I had $100 of the January grocery money (we spend $100/week for our family of 7, but that excludes Alicia, who is away at college).

On Jan 31 we had an awesome snow storm. In addition to having difficulty actually getting to the grocery store, I tend to avoid shopping on days when the general population gets nervous about running out of bread and milk. Not that they don't have good reason to worry around here. In the past couple of years we've had more than our share of power outages, so folks get a little skittish when there are storms of any kind.

So, anyway, I didn't go to the store that day. There were great sales on pizza (I needed to stock up about 8 for the month) at Dierbergs and some good deals on veggies at Aldi's, so I hit both of those stores on Feb 4 before the sales expired. I spent about $45 of my $100 there. I was hoping ShopNSave would have their coupon day this week, but they didn't AND I have a sick 8 year old at home, Doug was out of town, Alicia was at Union U with all the tornado mess, and Sammi still has her migraine. Needless to say I barely left the house this week. I have this internal desire to run out to the store, but in reality there isn't anything we need at the moment. We still have more than 1/2 gallon of milk and the only thing we are really out of is bananas.

My plan is to hold off on the rest of the 'stocking up' for Feb until next week Thursday, hoping there is another $10 coupon. As far as getting the milk/produce/bread, I'll wait until we need it...maybe Sunday or Monday so the bananas are fresh for lunches.

This week we had tacos, hot dogs, fish sticks, parmesan chicken legs (yum), leftovers one night, and tonight we'll have 'breakfast'. With the exception of the girls on fish night (they found other places to eat...), everyone's been satisfied with what we have.

I divided all of our stored food into four boxes so we don't devour all of it in one week...no one knows where they are or what's in them, so I just hit the boxes as we run out of things. Our week one box is still full!

You'd think I'd lived in the depression they way I've stocked our pantry...I'm going to have to find other things to put in there in the future because it's silly to have this much saved up. I bet if we tried we could continue on well into March with just a few exceptions (like those morning poptarts....).

Wow -- this got long, but I promised I'd keep you up to speed on our little adventure. Is anyone out there joining us?

Union University Update

Several folks have sent e-mails asking how they could help the students of Union University recover from the tornado disaster.

Information has been posted at http://uurecovery.blogspot.com/. They are requesting donations of walmart/target/etc. gift cards so the students can replace their basic possessions. Most students will be heading home for a couple of weeks, but there are a lot who live too far away (or internationally) and who are unable to drive their cars.

If you are interested in helping out, please check out the website. Thanks!

In the Midst of the Storm

It's been a long night and an early morning. Alicia (our college age daughter) attends Union University. For those of you who may not have heard the news this morning, Union made headlines nationally because they were hit hard by a tornado. In 35 seconds the world changed for a lot of people.

Alicia and all of her friends are ok. If you see the pictures, it's amazing to know that not one person died...only six kids ended up in the hospital over night (five of them are considered in serious condition -- no one in critical condition). 13 students were trapped in the rubble (some photos at www.jacksonsun.com and at my photo blog) and had to be rescued. The women's dorms are totally destroyed, as are many of the boys dorms. The main classroom building on campus lost it's roof. Cars are stacked up like dominoes. Not a single building on campus was unscathed.

Students spent the night at professors homes and in Red Cross shelters. Alicia lives off campus, and the only damage she had to deal with was a broken windshield. They lost power for several hours, but it's back now. The kids are being let back onto campus right now, 8:00, and I imagine it is a horrifying experience.

The verse that keeps coming to mind is Deuteronomy 31:6,

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Union apparently received the brunt of the storm in the town of Jackson...a place filled with students praying desperately through their fear. Some may say that it's interesting that God would hit a Christian college...but I keep thinking about what might have happened if it were a different location where people weren't praying. Despite the damage, God protected each and every one of the students and professors on campus (night classes were in session). I know that he is there now and that he will use this disaster to further his plan.

Please pray for the students, and their families who are far away, that they will be able to deal with the emotional trauma, that they will demonstrate Christ to others through out the clean up, that they will be able to return to classes quickly enough not to cause problems with graduation plans, and that God will be glorified through this disaster.

There are thousands of people who have been impacted by these horrible storms. And apparently they aren't over -- lots of tornado warnings in eastern Tennessee/Kentucky, and Western/Central Georgia. Pray that they will be strong and courageous, and that they will know God will never leave or forsake them.