Well, with all the preparation for my new family life, I am working extra hard to work within a strict budget and search for the best deals! This week, I found such a great deal on laundry detergent that I really wanted to share it with my Mom, so I'm posting it on my blog. ;)
Here's the deal: liquid laundry detergent for $.04/ounce!!
Where: Walgreens
When: Through June 21, 2014
What: Purex Liquid Laundry Detergent
How to Score: Buy 1 get 2 FREE with Register Rewards Card
The cost at my local Walgreens was $5.99 for a 50 ounce container. With this deal, you pay $5.99 for THREE 50 ounce containers, getting 150 ounces for $5.99, and thus spending $.04 per ounce ($6 / 150 ounces = $.04). Additionally, you still receive register rewards points by using your card. Double score!
The most recent "best deal" I found on laundry detergent was at $.05 an ounce for the same soap on sale at Publix, so I'm very excited about this! It may even be worth another trip to Walgreens before the sale ends to get another 6 containers...
Happy shopping and happy saving!
The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. - Proverbs 21:5
Welcome to the new year! It's a little late coming, so forgive me, but if you know me personally, you know my year has been a delightful new adventure! A couple days before my birthday, I got engaged to an amazing friend and partner in the Kingdom of God. We are working out details for a wedding, but getting to know each other better is our top goal right now as we pray about those details. New adventures always bring more dynamic and thrilling views, along with the harder paths and rockier terrain. I choose the hard stuff for the good stuff, and that's where I've been most blessed. What about you? If you've chosen a road less traveled, let me encourage you today... don't give up on the things you love because of the effort it takes to get them. This is as true in any relationship as it is in a life-goal: hard times come, but the reward is worth it. Hang in there and keep pressing forward! Encouragement from Scripture... Galations 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Philippians 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
I probably get 10-20 new e-mails
a day. Most of the e-mails I get are
split between advertising or marketing and articles to read. Do you have the same thing happen? Or, are you the kind of person who gets 95%
of your paper mail as “junk mail”, and an occasional bill just to spice it up?
And what happens to this
mail? Most of it gets deleted or trashed
before it’s opened. No, I don’t need new
tires again this week, nor do I need
to get another coupon deal to the
local ant watching exhibit.
Delete. Shred.
Trash. {insert an old Batman
exclamation here}
But then… then you see it. That old friend sent you a card in the
mail. A new friend decided to e-mail you
a personal message. What joy and jubilation!
Well, I certainly delight in that event.
I’m like the person walking away from the mail box with a pile of junk
mail left at the base of the post, carefully peeling back the envelope to my
friend’s letter to preserve the sanctity of a real piece of postage.
The letter was addressed to "Auntie Crystal"!! Blessed my socks right off. :)
Sounds silly, right? But the fact is, letters are important to me. I consider the time it takes a person to
write them, what they may have sacrificed from their day to put a pen to paper
or their fingers to a keyboard. I consider
the inflection in the person’s voice and their facial expressions as I read
what they wrote. I smile at their humor
or tear up to their grief. I look forward to the event that I was invited to. I relish in
them: soak them in like sunshine. They
bring me such joy that I tend to go over them again-and-again. Do you do the same thing??
Several years ago I received an
amazing book of letters: the Bible.
They are like a collection of treasures all written down in one book for
me to soak in: the letters from God. One
verse at a time, I see His intentionality and His consistency through the
thread of history. One word at a time I
see more of His personality and His beauty. Each time I pour over them, I’m
reminded that I still don’t know Him completely, and it compels me to keep
going back.
Consider this today: How we
perceive God will determine how we receive His letters. Just as an informal advertisement goes to the
garbage, if we see God as an informal God, we will discard His letters. If we see God, though, as a loyal friend who
delights in us, and in whom we can delight in, we will see His letters as a
treasure and keep pouring over them.
My hope and challenge to you is
this: delight in God’s Word (the Bible) as you would an unexpected surprise
letter from one of your closest friends and see what He wants to show you. I am confident you will find a depth to Him
like you have never known, and you will grow in peace and understanding as you
dwell on His words all day long.
Times with my buddy Terry are always edifying. We meet for lunch, pray over our food and the table, and are mindful of ways we can bless people around us. Most of all, we dwell on the goodness of God. Here is a peak at a topic we most recently discussed. Feel free to join the conversation with a comment below...
What is it that separates a Sunday Christian from a daily Christian?
The short answer: our awareness of God.
If we are truly aware of God in our life, we are more mindful of whether or not we are pleasing Him. No, it doesn't mean we are perfect, but it means we have a holy reverence for Him, an understanding that He sees and knows all, and that we are ultimately accountable to Him alone. It can change our attitude and our response to external (or internal) chaos, but if we don't stay mindful of His presence, we are quick to do something that may not please Him. Human nature is to sin. Human nature covered by the blood of Jesus is to repent and be forgiven.
Today, let's walk in forgiveness of each other because of the love God has shown us. And let's remember that "nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:13)
I'm sitting in the doctors office as I write this, waiting to be seen. Another "interruption" in my day that causes me to sit back and thank God that He does everything for a purpose and I can trust He already knew how my day would go today.
I finished a Bible study last night that left me craving for more. So I pull out this book to read that I've been eyeing since I got it from the budget bin at the local bookstore: Max Lucado's God's Story, Your Story.
The first chapter of Max's writing reels me in: God has a story for me. For my life. "You are so much more than a few days between the womb and the tomb."
Who doesn't long for purpose? And who doesn't struggle to find it at times?
Max talks about his genealogy, and the pictures of my own family tree projects as an elementary school student pop into mind. I have a new idea on how to chart this history in a more meaningful way to me.
Have you ever charted your family's history? Have you ever wondered if you were related to royalty or some great inventor?
But God's story unfolds for me in the now. The history is still alive inside of me and I carry it. No, I don't carry the burdens of my ancestors nor do I claim their successes or failures. But I recognize their thread in a larger tapestry, and I continue that thread with my own color.
I don't know about you, but I want my thread to be strong, to bind to other threads around me and create a picture of my generation that is more brilliant than the one before me, and one that is more dull than the one to come. I want my portion of the loom to build a foundation for the one to come: One of faith that rocks the world, that shocks the world; One of love and compassion fueled by the heart of God.
Dream today with me, will you? Let's not give up on this journey of impact and purpose that goes beyond our today. Lets look to God for the bigger story and how we can be threads available for Him to weave.
My cousin recently sent me this cool story of God’sprovision for her family…
Last night we were walking before my son's bedtime and passed a plastic play set in pieces by the road. I asked my husband if he thought we could salvage the slide part for our son. He was doubtful and we walked on.
Then at the next corner, we stopped to talk to a couple with a dog and they told us the set was theirs and it's in good shape if we wanted it! They even offered to drive it down to our house since they had a bigger car!!
My husband cleaned it up and put it together last night and our son played on it today. He loves it!
What really strikes me is that the lady that drove it down for us had a “coexist” sticker on her car and a Buddha hanging from her mirror. God is constantly using nonbelievers to provide things that we want/need,especially for our son.
We give and serve the King and his kingdom and He provides...through people that don't even believe in him. It's pretty amazing.
I don’t know what you need today, but I know that God has riches we can’t even begin to measure. He can give to you what you need whenever you need it, without sacrificing a thing. He just wants us to ask and trust that He will provide whenever the time is right.
And the same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19)
I'm not a fan of trickery or fooling people. I'm very passionate about people knowing Christ and committing their lives to Him, but no change comes from deception. This is why I so appreciate Ray Comfort's approach with people. Give him a chance - he may come off as pushy at first, but you will see towards the end that he was only provoking conversation. There's no commitment card signed by people in this video, only thought-provoking conversations that encourage people to make an informed decision in their own time.
I also appreciate his down-to-earth approach at the fact that we are all sinners - none of us are perfect, none of us are worthy of God's favor. But we have a "parachute", we have a "bridge", we have a "lifeline", and that is Jesus Christ.
I encourage you to watch this video if you have not. What are your thoughts?
I just read a great short blog on the lists we create for our [future] mates. I thought I'd share it with you. I love the thought process of "dating mercy".
Live every moment, as though it was your last Before the Thief of Always steals tomorrow from your grasp Before the chance to know His love has somehow passed you by Let your heart reach out, right here, right now, for the Lord to touch
your life -Jaci Velasquez, Thief of Always
A few weeks ago, I went to spend time with one of my friends from
choir. Though about 50 years separates
us, I love her as if she’s a sister my age.
We ate at her favorite pizza parlor and she gave me a tour of her
home. She moved here several years ago
at the insistence of her children, who lovingly purchased and furnished the
beautiful place she lives in. She has
nothing but praise and love for them.
One thing that is just remarkable to me about this lady is that she is
such a graceful and welcoming person.
There aren’t very many people who don’t just have a blast spending time
with her. Spunky, she is. She’s not willing to give in to
discouragement, though she deals with it often.
I admire her greatly.
That is probably some of the reasons why a lady in her development,
Tanya, became such good friends with her.
Tanya has been dealing with medical issues for a while, but you’d never
know it looking at her. She’s spunky
too, but a bit more quite than my friend.
So I had the delightful idea when I was visiting my friend, to plan for
a ladies’ night in where we could invite Tanya to lift her spirts a little and
have fun together. We were going to plan
it as soon as I got back from my trip.
That was a couple weeks ago.
Last Thursday, Tanya passed away suddenly.
I grieve because I simply miss her sweet spirit, but I know that as I
grieve, she rejoices with no pain, and with the love of her life. I take great comfort in that. Also, as Pastor Phyllis mentioned at her
memorial service, Tanya simply got an address change, and those who know Jesus
with see her again someday.
While I celebrate the fact that Tanya is at peace, I am also challenged
to not let a moment go by when God brings someone to my heart. Take advantage of that opportunity now,
because it may not be there tomorrow, and you never know what God might have
for you to learn from that moment.
“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me right where I am…” John 17:24
I would argue that yes, God wants us
to have relationships with others on every level and to experience the
interest, joy, frustration, excitement, allure, confusion,
disappointment, hope, pain, and growth through relationships with
others. Why? Because this is the one place in life He knows we are
completely hopeless without calling on Him to get us through.
I've been sharing about organizations I'm close with that do an incredible job of sharing the opportunity to give to those who are looking for such an opportunity. Just because Christmas Day is over, people are still in need. Try to practice giving all year long this coming year and see how much joy it can bring you!
Today, I hope you'll visit Compassion International's website HERE to see what neat ideas you can do for Christmas giving. As with Samaritan's Purse, you can give items such as chickens, cows, medical care, or even survival kits!
This is a touching video explaining how giving on your end impacts the recipient. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! It doesn't take much to make a ripple in a pond. Throw a small stone in the pond of GIVING and see how big of an impact it can make.
In an earlier post, I mentioned that I will be sharing some of the organizations that I am closest to in order to encourage you in what you might give to those in need. I would love to tell you about Hillcrest Children's Home.
Hillcrest is a division of AG Family Services Agency, and takes in abused and/or neglected children, nurturing them and provide hope, healing, and training to restore the life they were meant to live: one of abundance in Christ.
Hillcrest is a modern-day rescue home. If you've ever considered giving, but feel led to limit your giving to domestic services, consider sponsoring a child from Hillcrest Children's Home this next year, or even just giving a one time gift to best support the needs of the organization.
December is a month I think about giving. Not just for the potential tax benefit, but most importantly, for blessing others in need. Giving, to me, is one of the most fulfilling things in the world.
Some people give money, some give time, some give encouragement, some give prayers, there are many ways to give.
I was recently talking with a friend who said they are always looking for opportunities to give to "worthy causes", and it spurred me on to thinking about some of the "worthy causes" I'm close to. I thought I'd share some with you.
Today, I want to tell you about Samaritan's Purse. Samaritan's Purse is an organization that is one of the first responders for aid in foreign and domestic emergencies. They are in as quickly as the Red Cross and have stations all over the world to ensure quick distribution of needed items to people in crisis.
I am really excited about what Samaritan's Purse is doing for Christmastime. In addition to providing thousands of shoe boxes to children all over the world with Christmas gifts and discipleship programs to help them learn about God, they have compiled a "Gift Catalog" for people to choose the type of gift they would like to give toward.
For example, you can "Feed a Hungry Baby for a Week" with a suggested donation of $9.
$9.00
That's all it takes to feed one hungry baby for a week.
Do you like to shop for clothes or shoes? How about this "Crisis Needs: Shoes and clothing". You can provide an outfit or a warm coat for someone for a donation of $25.00.
And how about this one? Purchase baby chicks for a family to start making an income and work their way out of poverty. I know a family who has decided to not purchase gifts for each other this year, but to purchase livestock for someone in poverty to be able to start making an income. They choose sheep and have decorated the base of their Christmas tree with stuffed animals of sheep to represent the sheep that they purchased. Look at this quick video to see how something like this works:
I've provided a link to the Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog here for your convenience. I would encourage you to take advantage of giving something to a child or a person in need this Christmas via Samaritan's Purse.
I promise your gift will not go unnoticed. You never lose anything when you give to God. And when you give with this heart attitude, you are investing in something that you will never lose value in.
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.'
"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go visit You?'
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.' " - Matthew 25:31-40
I just found this video online via ABC News. Please pray for the country of India and the oppression of women and girls that happens simply because of the cost of a dowry. And please do what you can to support organizations that help combat abortion by making way for other options such as adoption.
I've always been a bit of an adventurer. I love my security, but I thrill on adventure. I was in high school when I traveled half way around the world to work in a 3rd world country for a couple weeks one summer. I've got the guts to jump out of a plane and fall 14,000 feet just for the fun of it. But some of my most special moments come from just enjoying the beauty around me.
I love parks. I may sneeze at every speck of dust, but I'd rather sneeze than not be wrapped up in the middle of that beauty.
About a year ago, my family took a trip to Las Vegas and southern California to visit friends and family for a week. One of my most favorite memories was from a hike I took up a trail in Red Rock Canyon with my brother and our friend Myron. The views from the canyon are breathlessly beautiful. The little bit of physical exertion to make those views possible makes me wonder why the trails weren't packed that day.
Life is short enough as it is. Find an adventure that you can't fit into your normal schedule, set a date, and make it happen. Don't miss the beautiful fun that is available to you in your area!
Freddie, Me, and Myron:::Red Rock Canyon, January 2011
Ok. I admit. I'm a family girl. In case you didn't know it, now you do! :)
My family likes to take trips, but it's not always possible to make it happen. This past year was special because we got to spend a good amount of time together despite the huge changes with my brother's amazing Army adventure.
In January, the week of my birthday, we were able to fly out to Las Vegas to visit Myron, go to the Hoover Dam, and visit family in southern California. Here are some fun pictures from our trip.
I love family time. I'm looking forward to more great family times in the future - whether we can all make it to a destination or not. And I'm looking forward to spending time with new family as they come along. You can never have enough family!
Visiting Freemont Street, Las Vegas: Freddie, Dad, Mom, and I.
Visiting some shops on The Strip in Las Vegas with my brother
Hoover Dam, Nevada/Arizona border
Being silly with brother by the Hollywood sign
Touring the Reagan Museum & Library on my Birthday! Mom and I. From the looks of it, I was probably about to pull a practical joke on someone....
Freezing at one of the Southern Cali piers - yes - Freddie is freezing. Don't tell him I told you! :)
Stop reading this! Go enjoy time with your family! :)
This was one of the neatest gifts I received last year at Christmas, and I still use it every week!
I LOVE my bike! :)
Every year, my family does a scavenger hunt for someone's gift. It is so much fun! So much of our gift-opening time is spent just having fun. The gift is special, yes, but the gift is more than just the product: it is the time the person put into thinking about the gift and seeking it out. And it's the memories that are made when planning the surprise and enjoying the gift later.
I found my bike! This was the result of a Christmas-day scavenger hunt 2010!
Try doing something a little different this year and make a scavenger hunt!
There are moments in life whenever I am so tremendously proud and thankful for things, that it creates a tickmark on the timeline of my life. I had one of those moments in October when my brother graduated as an officer for the U.S. Army.
It is one thing to have an amazing brother. It's another thing to have an amazing brother that lives life to be all that he can be (pardon the pun). If there's one thing that makes my brother truly stand out, it is his attention to excellence. I greatly admire and respect him for that.
Here's a glimpse of a very proud moment for my whole family...
Dad, Mom, Jeanna, Lt. Freddie, and Me
What a wonderful mark to stick on that timeline of mine. Thank you, Lord.
I looked down at my calendar today and said "Wow! Tomorrow is the first day of December!" Time has really whizzed by these last few weeks.
This month was full of good things, such as taking another part of the CPA exam (still don't know my score yet!), surprising my family with a house full of holiday decorations, my brother's graduation from another school in the Army, running my first 5K race, a heartwarming Thanksgiving Day surprise of my brother coming in from his Post for the holiday weekend, a stunning Thanksgiving Day feast prepared almost ENTIRELY by my father, and a surprise visit from my Boston family.
November has been delightful and difficult at the same time. As a matter of fact, most of my year has been like that. I'm so thankful for the delightful times. I don't care for the difficult times, but if I look at them from a different perspective, I can always see how God makes the difficult into beautiful and useful. Like polishing rubbish to find a treasure.
I know I have treasure deep inside me. Some parts of it are surfacing and shining, other parts are still buried under "difficult" that I need to get through in order for the treasure to shine.
But all in good time, I will surely be shining forever...
Where: Walgreens
