All Kinds of Things

I'm rather conflicted about what to write in this blog. So many topics are swirling in my mind that I'm not sure if I can write them in one blog or if I should write several.

First, I think I'll write the numerous praises I have for my Lord! The past week or so have been filled with many ways in which I have been blessed to encourage others. I love our monthly women's group meeting and leading the devotion last Thursday was an encouragement to me! Hearing the stories and comments each woman shared blessed my heart. One story about praising the Lord especially touched my heart! A woman shared about her father's encouragement for praising the Lord in tough times...when all seems lost and "it can't get any worse", we still have a choice. Will we praise God or will we get down and earthly focused? In some trying situations, I decided to apply that principle of praise in my own life. Regardless of how I felt about the circumstances around me, I chose those moments to say, "God you are still on your throne...you are still good...and I still love you and trust you with all that I am and all that is going on around me." It was liberating, humbling, and peaceful to make that choice!

Another praise is that Shea and I have been concerned about how we are going to pay for Jonathan being out of school. Daycare is not cheap by any stretch and we honestly have no room in our budget to make those payments. Well, the Lord has provided! My brother will be moving to Texas and will be helping us for the summer. The exchange of help is a blessing to everyone involved. I can hardly believe we got airfare for $100 and how the timing is working perfectly! But again, the Lord is at work and while I thought up a dozen other scenarios to solve the problem...God worked it out in a way I hadn't even thought of and wouldn't have thought of either! So I'm blessed to be reminded, yet again, of His abundant provision!

One of the other things I'm working through right now is the matter of sin. I have been exhorted recently to return to a more disciplined manner of dealing with sin on a daily basis. Daily confession helps us keep our relationships with Christ in tip-top shape...without sin standing between us, we experience the deepest intimacy. It seems I never run dry of sin to confess, which can be at times, discouraging! But in times of spritual dryness (which seems to be where I am right now), grace waters my soul in ways I can't even describe when I confess and repent of sin. I am a bit frustrated at my own laziness right now though. My "daily" discipline is not a "daily" occurance yet. So prayerfully, as I continue to confess, the restoration I love will continue to move me toward an inability to make for a "long account" with the Lord...I'd much rather keep a "short account"! :)

Well...there are other things, but I need to cut this off for now! I'll write more later!

Trip to the Zoo

Yesterday was a day! I'm not exactly sure if I thought through the ramifications of choosing to go to the zoo on a half-price day during Spring Break! Otherwise, I might have expected the five minute drive from the interstate exit to the zoo entrance to instead take an hour and 15 minutes. I also would have expected the 45 minutes we waited in line to get tickets to get in. Alas, we finally entered the zoo (2 hours after we had planned to get in)! This meant half of the time we allotted to sight-see was spent in line. I felt terrible for the boys (my son and his friend) because I knew it would seriously limit what we could do while we were there.

So we went in and started with the primates. We saw all the monkeys lounging around and having a great time, gorillas, baboons, and orangutans. Then we moved on and saw the cheetahs. Normally, they are difficult to spot, but it was magnificent to see them out and about! I even got a still photo of one, for which I was very pleased! We saw the rhinoceros, elephants, and horses. We saw tortoises and sea otters and an alligator. We saw the flamingos and some small turtles. We even got a peak of the lazy kangaroos! But of the entire zoo...those were the only animals we saw!

Soon after arriving, the boys were hungry and we found a spot to sit and eat (on the ground). :) The boys spotted the train and being the locomotive fanatics they are, JUST HAD to go for a ride! I thought that sounded great, but by the time we were done eating and taking restroom breaks, the line for the train was more than 30 minutes long! :(

Standing in the train line was not something I wanted to do, but their hearts were set on the ride. So thankfully, my imaginative little buddies quickly found entertainment in the gravel covered ground. They drew alphabet letters and made rock piles. They kicked up lots of dust (which they got in trouble for doing). And overall, it wasn't too awful keeping them entertained until we could get on the train.

Finally, it was time to board and we were whisked away down the tracks....and the train came the stopping station about five minutes after we started. Talk about the shortest train ride ever! So since we had all day passes to ride the train, I was going to get our money and time worth in riding this train. We stayed on while the new boarders came on and we rode the train again back to the first station! LOL We did this one more time and got off near a food court where they have lots of stuff for smaller children.

This part was great! The boys waited in another line (this time a short one) to wash their hands and get to pet the animals in the petting zoo. They had a baby calf, chickens, a huge hog and a very fat goat (I asked if it was pregnant...they said she was just fat!). We disinfected and gathered up our stuff again, when the boys discovered a toy they wanted...a waterfan! It was a battery-operated fan attached to a spray bottle. The boys took turns running around spraying each other with water! Some of the bystanders seemed to love being included, others shot me a dirty "why don't you control those kids" type look! I kept them from being too rowdy, but our time was up at the zoo, and I wanted them to have some fun that didn't include standing in line waiting for something!

Our last stop was unplanned and while I really was supposed to get us out of there by 2pm, we walked by the kids barn and they just had to play! Inside are all kinds of things for kids to do. They can climb the chicken coop, watch dairy videos on life size cow statues, watch turtles or play in a few horse stalls. They had lots of fun there! I kept trying to snap pictures, but between the crowd inside and the speed of these boys, I think I got a total of one...count it...just one picture! :)

On the way out, the boys wanted to ride the train again...the line this time was an hour and a half and we were already past our deadline, so I regretfully had to decline. I had a doctor's appointment that I could not miss at 3:45. So by 3pm, I had two exhausted little boys running across the makeshift parking lawn and we were off across the metroplex, headed home!

I loved that we got to spend the time together, but I sure would love to go back on a FULL price day NOT on spring break and spend a little more money and be a little more leisurely with our viewing! I hope next time we can see the lions, the white tigers and the grizzly bears! I hope we'll wander through the bird section and see the reptiles. I hope we'll see the rest of the desert area (giraffes and meerkats). And I don't want to be rushed to leave for any pressing appointments!

So despite my failure to see what should have been some obvious drawbacks that I could have prepared for, I loved our trip. We were able to see so much of God's amazing talent in the vast array of creatures. We laughed and played and spent time together! We talked about the Lord and the story of Noah's ark and learned a lot about relating to each other under less than desirable circumstances! We made some great memories! So no matter what lines we waited in, the day was a success that left me smiling and happy that we were given such a gift!

Hope

I was watching a movie the other night where a character asked, "Do you know the definition of perseverance?" "Continuing on in a course of action despite discouragement, opposition or past failures". Not sure I got that quote exactly, but it made me think about the verse in Romans 5 that says, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Suffering of any kind is discouraging and when we fail, I think it's so much easier to give up than try again. But what the character in the movie was saying was that perseverance is continuing on. What Romans is saying is that there is reward for continuing on. What is that reward?

First, it's character. We can know the depth of who we are in Christ and how solid that foundation is when we face trials and tribulations. That is one reason I long for a trial in my life. My life right now is peaceful and uneventful. I feel a bit useless in fact because there doesn't seem to be much going on. I am thankful for the time, don't get me wrong. But I love the feel of that foundation. I enjoy seeing how God comes through. In the past, I think I sought out the wrong kind of "trials"...I would create consequences for myself instead of allowing the Lord to bring His form of shaping and molding into my life. But now...now I just long to feel the chisel. Perhaps that doesn't make any sense, but it does to me. And I can only pray that the Lord would find me worthy in some sense to suffer for His name's sake.

And when character is built, we have hope! Not because of who we are in and of ourselves. But hope comes from what the Holy Spirit has put in us! Christ IN us gives us hope!!! Hope that drives us on when we would rather give up and throw in the towel! I can't tell you how many times I have failed at losing weight and getting healthy. I have tackled the problem over and over and over again. I have wanted to give up so many times! But somewhere deep inside me, I know I'm missing out on a level of intimacy with Jesus and that drives me to keep working. To keep figuring it out and wrestling with the issue.

The flip side of that is hope deferred. Proverbs 13:12 says Hope deferred makes the heart sick. I have been hopeless. I have had a sick heart. A heart that can't see the good. Cynical. Depressed. Angry. All kinds of things go on in a sick heart. I don't believe that we ever fully embrace hope or experience healing from that sickness this of heaven. We will continue to struggle against it until we go home. But the process this side of heaven can be joyful, peaceful, and carry a sense of fullness instead of devastation.

So when life gets you down...it's time to let Christ pick you up! We have to remember the essence of being human is to hope! And it's our hunger for Jesus that will lead us toward those sufferings and allow our character to be molded into His likeness and reveal to us the hope we find in being anchored to Him! Oh how I love my Jesus, my Hope!

A Time for Everything...

Now is the time when everyone is cutting back. Americans are in a deepening recession, or at least, so says the news media. So by in large, people are finding ways to cut spending and save money. I thought I would share the ways in which me and my family are getting creative. I will say, the Lord's blessing has been on us, that despite a lay-off for my husband and a cutting of my part time job hours, we have not felt any of the effects of the financial strain. Perhaps that will change soon and our creativity will have to go further, but for now, here are some of our ideas.

1) Tithe. We truly believe Malachi 3:10. When my husband and I got married, despite our inconsistencies as individuals, we vowed to be faithful givers of the Lord's money. And we have seen the blessings come our way and our needs have not ever gone unmet.

2) Coupons. A dear friend of mine introduced me to coupons and showed me how to make the most of our grocery budget. Finding great deals is now an exciting game I love to win on a weekly basis. Some weeks are better than others, but I have not saved less than 35% on my grocery bill since I got serious about my coupon shopping.

3) Clothing. It is a necessity. For a long time, being a single mom, I just wouldn't buy clothing for myself. I also had a huge influx of clothing for Jonathan that I didn't have to purchase very many clothes for him either. But this year I have to get creative about clothes shopping. I used to think if I shopped at Target and Wal-Mart, I could get the best deals. However, I have learned that just like groceries, the best deals are not always at the cheapest places. Thrift stores and outlet malls are great! Warehouse stores like Sams and Costco can have good deals from time to time. Bargain racks at department stores can sometimes yield great buys. But better yet...shop out of season. It's tough to guess for your kids what size they might wear of a particular season, but typically, you and your spouse are roughly the same size in many of the things you wear. Shop out of season and you'll have great deals...maybe not the latest fashion, but hey....I hear that thrifty is very "IN" right now!!! Lastly, learn to sew. If you can, sewing for yourself instead of tossing or having someone else sew a torn item will save you money. I have saved a couple of pairs of pants for my son just because I didn't have to throw them out...I turned them into shorts for this summer.

4) Gas. Fuel is also a necessity, but there are tons of ways to cut fuel consumption. My husband drives slower than the speed limit and saves a ton of fuel each week. I cut my trips to the store to once a week. I don't leave the office for lunch. I try to plan trips around traffic to avoid idling in traffic for long periods of time. And the biggest savings in the long run, I think, is properly maintaining your vehicle. Keep your oil changed, your radiator and fuel systems flushed, your tires properly inflated and rotated. It may seem like that costs you more than it saves, but "experts" say otherwise! :) Also, purchase fuel at places where you can get a discount for shopping there. My favorite place is Kroger. I find so many great grocery deals there that it is easy for me to rack up the fuel discount points and I get a $0.10 discount per gallon for it!

5) Bills. Pay them on time. Late fees and higher interest rates can hurt, so make sure to pay your bills on time. If there are unnecessary, or as I like to call them, "luxury" items. Cut them off. If you haven't been to the gym in years and you're still paying monthly dues, financial crunch time is not the optimal period by which to get gym-gusto! Can you cut minutes on your cell phone or shut off a rarely used home phone? Do you really need Internet at home if you can use it at the library or check email on your lunch hour at work? What about cable? I think we could have lived without it for a lot longer. While we have it now, I can't guarantee we'll be keeping it beyond our contract! :) Also, if you can, pay your car/house notes bi-monthly or weekly instead of monthly. I have saved a lot of interest on my car because of making payments every two weeks instead of monthly...plus, it works out to an extra payment every year!

6) Sell stuff. If you're like us, you are the typical "indebted American". We have lots of foolish debt we are paying off from our years of lacking financial wisdom and discipline. Credit cards, loans, student loans, car notes. They tax your money like Uncle Sam never could...well...we are in a new administration, I may eat those words...but that's for another blog! So if you're in debt...sell your stuff. Movies, CD's, clothes, dishes, electronics (You seriously do not need a TV in every room of the house...luxury! not need). We have sold movies, CD's, miscellaneous furniture, electronics and are about to sell formal gowns, a guitar, fish tank with accessories, and some more electronics and movies. We have paid off all but one card that way. Plus, it creates a lot of space in our apartment.

7) Increase income. In a time when people are getting laid off, they are having to get creative with jobs. Thankfully, Shea and I have great part time, personally-owned businesses. His entertainment business still provides a steady income. And I love the flexibility of my Mary Kay and Housekeeping businesses. Providing a service or good could be your ticket to obtaining a new stream of income. Finding ways to work overtime if possible can help as well.

Other ideas: Seal doors and windows. Keep your thermostat set at a regular temperature to avoid your heater/ac coming on too often. Plan meals with similar ingredients (cuts grocery costs). Walk or use a bicycle instead of driving. Wash your car by hand instead of at the car wash.

All in all, I think the biggest help to us financially is a basic commitment to handling our money according to the Lord's guidelines and understanding the difference between a "want" and a "need". Everything else is just creative application!