Harvest....

What a great time of the year! The leaves are changing, the farmers are in the fields. It's all the sudden getting colder, especially at night. I love it, except for the cold part!

As I think about the seasonal changes, I think about how much we change throughout our lives. Much of the time our change is due to experience. Maybe we don't like barbeque potato chips because we got sick on them once when we were young or we enjoy strawberry ice cream because it reminds us of our favorite childhood vacation.

No matter the experience, whether it big or small, it affects us inwardly.

We need to realize that God is shaping us for his plans. Even when things seem downright unlivable, God has a mission for the pain that you're going through. We can't see it at the time, but given enough patience you will see the results, the reason, the purpose in the pain, sorrow, or grief. The Bible says, "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..." He's already got things set, we just have to follow his lead with patience.

Likewise, we must be careful how we as Christians affect those that are around us. A bad experience with a Christian can turn someone away from God so easily and it can be hard to recover their thoughts. We are looked at in everything that we do. We make mistakes, but sometimes others don't consider that we too are humans and we mess up, we sin. From my experience, so many people expect a Christian to have it all together when we don't, we're just forgiven.

I love that bumper sticker... Not Perfect, Just Forgiven. I wish everyone looked at Christians that way. I don't mean to say go on being sinful and with the mindset to make mistakes, not at all. Simply living as we feel God has intended for us to, knowing that we will unwittingly make mistakes along the way. Lets make an extra effort not to blow our top when things get heated or to say one thing and do another. We all mess up, but sometimes we can tough it out better than we do, and for God's glory let's try.

Gladly forgiven...

New design...

I hope you all find the new design pleasing. I've been looking for a way to easy change the design and happened upon a site called The Cutest Blog on the Block. They have some really neat designs for just about any style and as you can see they do some seasonal designs as well.

Since, as I wrote in my last post, I love Autumn so I couldn't resist this design. The only thing that I'm not so keen on about it is the "Happy Haunting" sign, but I decided to go with it and that I would talk about my feelings about Halloween as the time approaches... conversation starter I guess. I tried to change what it said and was unable to, so there it stays.

How do you feel about Halloween? Too commercialized? Satanist holiday? Should our kids be allowed to dress up? If so, do you have limitations?

Just something to think about as the "holiday" approaches.

Love'n Autumn

I love this time of year... the weather changing, the leaves turning, the crops being harvested. Never mind the fact that I grew up on a farm & I'm terribly allergic to all the crop dust, it's still my favorite season. In fact, I've always thought that if I had a little girl I would consider naming her Autumn... even love the sound of it.

It never ceases to amaze me how fast time seems to go, and it seems like it goes faster all the time! Especially now with a 3 yr old running around and all the changes he keeps making.. just awesome to me!

My little guy just started preschool this year and adores it. He goes twice a week and the days in between he always asks if we go to school today. He's such a Daddy's boy, a people person.

I have to tell you that he loves school so much that Sunday morning when we went to get in the car to go to church our little guy told Hubby he was to sit in the passenger seat and Mommy was going to drive. Hubby asked him why and he responded, "Mommy knows the way." Hubby told me what the request was and I asked Hubby teasingly if the 3 yr old was now the decision maker of the household. I jumped into the driver's seat and our little one says something about us not going the right way. I told him we were going to church to which he responded, "No Mommy, you take me to school."

He had decided that when Mommy drives we go to school and when Daddy drives we go to church. Before he started school church was his favorite place to go, now obviously school has changed all of that. I gently corrected him and reminded him of all of his friends at church that we would get to see and he decided that it would be alright that we went to church instead. I was keenly aware that I had to be careful how I approached the situation so as not to upset him.

As I'm writing this, I wonder how often God is calling us to take a different direction in our lives and all we can see is the familiar road or maybe it's the fun road ahead of us. Maybe the direction he would have us turn is fun too but we just can't see it at first, until it's gently shown to us. I wonder how often God tries to nudge me carefully without making me cause a fuss. I'm sure much more often than I would care to realize or think about.

The church I'm a member of is currently reading the book, "One Month to Live." We just started with small groups to follow the series last Sunday and so far it has given me little insight on what it might be like to be told you only had a short time left. How would we spend it if we knew the limit of our days? What would we do with our time that's left?

Being that this is my favorite season, it would be a blessing to be in it if I found out right now that I had 30 days left. I would get to experience all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes (can't forget that wonderful apple cider!) one last time. I would hope to spend lots of time with my friends and family enjoying those things.

Most of all though, I think I would make sure that everyone around me knew how much I loved and appreciated them. I would want to be remember for being a kind person with time to share, not someone that was too busy to care... didn't intend for the rhyme :)

Take a moment to think about what things you might do if you had one month to live. Would you take a wild vacation, go skydiving, make amends with all your enemies, spend time with your loved ones? What can you do today to make memories and cherish the life you have today, so that if tomorrow is your last day you're not left saying, "I was going to get to that one day." Also, how do you want others to remember you?

I urge you to check out the book. See if it might be fitting for your church, small group, Sunday School Class, or Bible Study. It certainly makes you think about your mortality, but also gives you insight on how living for today can be beneficial to you, God, and all the people around you.

Movie Reviews for Fireproof??

I didn't make it to the new movie Fireproof this weekend regrettably.
I really want to see it with Hubby soon, maybe it will work out this weekend.

I'm excited at the chance for a date night just the two of us. The opportunity to go see something that is insightful and fit for Christians together is awesome and I excited at the idea that we may gain something that is on the big screen. Not something that happens often.

From those who previewed the movie it sounds like a great thing for any American couple to view... I just hope that many of them do. They have been talking about how real it is and how well put together that you can see yourself in some of the circumstances.

If you haven't heard anything about it, I encourage you to take your spouse or significant other with you to see it while it is in theaters. It is said that it may change your relationship and make it better! Go check it out!

Resources on how to fireproof your marriage can be found here.

I would love to hear any of your comments on the movie if you have seen it, or if you know someone who has.

Goodwill online....

Something new I found that might interest you. Goodwill has recently started a store online. They offer both gently used items and a few gently used items at discount prices.

Shipping is $7.99 for any order up to 150 lbs... That's a lot of weight!

Check them out and see if they have anything that might interest you and help Goodwills efforts. Their supplies change often, so you might check back if they don't have anything currently.

From their site...
Proceeds from Goodwill Too help support the Goodwill mission: To help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work. We achieve this mission through job training, employment, and personal growth opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Your purchases through Goodwill Too help us provide services to thousands of people each year.

Save some money, help a good cause.

Good deal alert!! Walgreens $5 coupon & overlap days!

Just got an email from Walgreens with a link to a coupon good this Fri & Sat, Sept 24-25 for $5 off any $20 purchase.

They have changed the wording on the coupon from previous coupons, so pay attention here. You now have to spend $20 after all of your other coupons, including manufacturer coupons in order to take the $5 off of your order.

This is still a great deal! If you haven't done the previous deals I posted for the week this would be a good time to do it. Also, if you can find the Reach Ultraclean toothbrushes or floss that are 2/$5 and the Crest mouthwash that is $4.49 you are halfway there!

Reach 2/$5 gives you a $5RR= FREE
Crest Mouthwash $4.49 gives you a $4.49RR= FREE
=9.49 total for these 2 items
Just need another $5.51 to reach $20 and then take $5 off of your order.

If you need milk and cookies buy 2 Oreos, Chips Ahoy, or Nutter Butters (which are 2/$5) and a gallon of milk $3.19(as featured on the front of the add) and get a $3RR (Almost free milk!)

$5 cookies+ $3.19 milk=$8.19
+ $9.49 from above= $17.68

Need $2.32 to get to $20
Buy filler item, rebate item, or something you need

$20-$5= $15 + taxes
Get $5RR for Reach, $4.49RR for mouthwash, $3RR for cookies & milk

$15-$5-$4.49-$3= $2.51 for $20 of merchandise ... almost 90% savings!!

Also...

For the last several months the coupons and rebates in Walgreens EasySaver catalog have overlapped and many stores will let you use both coupons on a product (if there is one from each month) as well as a manufacturer coupon and you can send in for rebates for each month on these two days as well.

This will happen this month as well, today and tomorrow.

Do these deals in combination with the $5 off $20 coupon and you've really saved some $!! See some examples of deals with the coupon and find a link to the coupon here.

Here are a few deals I'm aware of and hope to do tonight:

1)Garnier Products 25.4oz are $6.99
Buy 3 for a total of $20.97
-$1 manuf. coupons X3= -$3
Oct. EasySav.coupon $3 off each = -$9
Rebate in Sept EasySav. catalog for $10
$20.97-$22=$1.03 profit(minus your taxes) + $1 if you opt for Walgreens card

2)M&M's on sale 4/$10
Oct. EasySav. coupon $1/2
Sept. EasySav rebate $5
=$10-7=$3 for 4 bags of candy - $.50 if you opt for Walgreens card

3)Platex Sport Tampons $4.99
Sept. ES. coupons $2
Oct. EX coupon $2/2
Buy 2= $10
- $4 Sept coupon
-$2Oct coupon
= $4 total (or $2 each)

4)Jergens 10 oz lotion $3.99
Sept ES coupon $1
Oct. ES coupon $1
= $1.99

4)Glade Scented oil Candle w or w/o Holder $5.79- $5.99
Sept ES coupon $2
Oct. ES rebate $2
Manufact. coupon $2
= FREE after rebate
You can do this up to 4 rebates ($8)

Frugal Dishes...

I've read several times that you can use vinegar as a rinse-aid in the dishwasher. I was hesitant for a long time to try it because I was afraid of the odor primarily, but I was also getting rinse-aid at a reasonable price with my coupons at the store.

A few weeks ago my bottle ran out and I found I only had one left in my stockpile. I decided to go ahead and try the vinegar to see how it worked before I spent any more money trying to restock my supply of rinse-aid.

I'm happy to say that I have used vinegar in my rinse-aid compartment of my dishwasher for at least a month now and find it works wonderfully. Actually, it probably does even better than the rinse-aid! Hubby and I will occasionally use a wine glass with dinner and I always had to check them over for spots with rinse-aid... not so with the vinegar. They come out beautiful!

The odor I was so worried about??? There is none. The only time I've smelled vinegar at all is when I filled the dishwasher compartment with it... nothing since.

Now.... what to do with that last bottle of rinse-aid?