Yesterday was "grocery and bills" day for our family. Our August support had come in so we withdrew all of it from the bank and then made our rounds around town.
We paid our tithe, phone, internet, electricity and water bills, sent our monthly contribution to a local missionary family, put about 10% into our savings account, paid the rent, and bought some groceries. This month's support afforded me half of my grocery budget. (About $60.00 went to buying just beef that I still have to trim, grind and package.)
After all was said and done, we had about $8.00 left. And it's not even August yet. Sigh. Nate's birthday is on the 3rd. Sigh.
Can I be honest?
I'm scared. Even though this has happened in the past (it happens often, actually) and God has taken care of us, I still feel my eyes welling up with tears of doubt.
An ever growing list of needs is forever present in the back of my mind. God always provides. He's always faithful and trustworthy. So why do I doubt?
You stand, and tall trees and mountains bow
When you speak, the fiercest of Oceans is still...
This worship song was playing in the car as were running around town yesterday, trying to make the money go where it needed to go and have a little left over.
I was so encouraged by those 2 sentences. I thought, How lucky am I?! To trust God every single day of my life! He has everything under control!
We don't depend on man and we don't depend on the numbers that show up on our online statement every month. We depend on God who does exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think!
The gas light on the car is still on; we were not able to get gas yesterday. But we are here, where He called us, doing HIS work so, He will fill the gas tank up sooner or later. He always does.
So, I'm not scared anymore.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Frugal Friday: Using What I Have
Over the years I've accumulated quite the collection of half-used lotion, talk, perfume, and hair product bottles and tubes. It's easy to buy something "because I'm almost out" and then return home and begin using the new one without finishing the old one. And even if I don't buy it, a lot of that kind of thing is given to me.
So, I've decided to take the "Use-What-I-Have-Before-I-Buy-More" challenge. AND I've decided to drag Husband Dear along for the ride. Oh, he's enthusiastic about the challenge as he has also built up quite a collection of spray on deodorants and after shave over the years.
Our stash!
Together we will squeeze every last drop, from moisturizer to hair gel to aftershave to hairspray, until it's all gone before we purchase any new products. It's enough to keep us going for a while, maybe 2 months, I'm guessing, maybe more
It's not like we spend a huge amount of money on these sorts of things. But we do hate throwing things away and even more than that we HATE carting around half empty bottles of this and that if we have to move. Therefore the need to use up what we have!
So, that's it, my Frugal Friday tip: Use what you have until it's gone before buying more. Sounds pretty simple but it sure does take willpower!
Oh yeah, it helps if you gather it all together in one place, just so you know upfront what you have to work with.
Good luck! And for more frugal reading head over to Biblical Womanhood.
Have a great weekend! (I can't believe it's already the weekend again!)
So, I've decided to take the "Use-What-I-Have-Before-I-Buy-More" challenge. AND I've decided to drag Husband Dear along for the ride. Oh, he's enthusiastic about the challenge as he has also built up quite a collection of spray on deodorants and after shave over the years.
Our stash!Together we will squeeze every last drop, from moisturizer to hair gel to aftershave to hairspray, until it's all gone before we purchase any new products. It's enough to keep us going for a while, maybe 2 months, I'm guessing, maybe more
It's not like we spend a huge amount of money on these sorts of things. But we do hate throwing things away and even more than that we HATE carting around half empty bottles of this and that if we have to move. Therefore the need to use up what we have!
So, that's it, my Frugal Friday tip: Use what you have until it's gone before buying more. Sounds pretty simple but it sure does take willpower!
Oh yeah, it helps if you gather it all together in one place, just so you know upfront what you have to work with.
Good luck! And for more frugal reading head over to Biblical Womanhood.
Have a great weekend! (I can't believe it's already the weekend again!)
Back From the Country
We just got back from our church summer program. Please head over to Storing Up Treasures to read the update and see some pictures.
While we were in the countryside Nate caught a (tiny) fish with a handmade fishing rod. He used a cricket for bait. Hetee was watching him and he said that Nate just stood there, holding the rod like he'd done it a million times before. When he felt a tug on the line he calmly pulled it in, removed the fish and brought it to one of the guys to cook it. The young man made soup with the tiny fish and even put some veggies in it.
Nate brought me the bowl of soup, with the whole fish in it (minus the head, mind you) and sat there, proud as punch as he watched me eat it.
Who's da man?
Abi had fun, catching tiny frogs. Thank God she didn't expect me to eat them, too.
Boy, we had a terrible lightening/rain/wind storm! Abi was terrified and kept praying over and over for God to hide us under His wings (which He did. Honestly, who could resist her?)
Nate, who is usually scared of things like that, was surprisingly calm. Well, I don't know if calm is the word I'd use to describe him. He was crazy with excitement the whole time. We were scared, trying to hold the tent upright in the wind and he was there goofing off, exclaiming that
it was the best day of his life. To which Abi replied, "Nate, you'd better get serious and pray. You don't want to die do you?!"
Aaaah, it's good to be home. I'm not a outdoors-y type of person. As much as I enjoy the sun and the river, I always look forward to getting home, taking a warm bath and checking my email.
The next lightening storm we have, I'm really going to appreciate having a solid roof over my head!
Oh, I'd add some pictures to this post but my connection is painfully SLOW!
While we were in the countryside Nate caught a (tiny) fish with a handmade fishing rod. He used a cricket for bait. Hetee was watching him and he said that Nate just stood there, holding the rod like he'd done it a million times before. When he felt a tug on the line he calmly pulled it in, removed the fish and brought it to one of the guys to cook it. The young man made soup with the tiny fish and even put some veggies in it.
Nate brought me the bowl of soup, with the whole fish in it (minus the head, mind you) and sat there, proud as punch as he watched me eat it.
Who's da man?
Abi had fun, catching tiny frogs. Thank God she didn't expect me to eat them, too.
Boy, we had a terrible lightening/rain/wind storm! Abi was terrified and kept praying over and over for God to hide us under His wings (which He did. Honestly, who could resist her?)
Nate, who is usually scared of things like that, was surprisingly calm. Well, I don't know if calm is the word I'd use to describe him. He was crazy with excitement the whole time. We were scared, trying to hold the tent upright in the wind and he was there goofing off, exclaiming that
it was the best day of his life. To which Abi replied, "Nate, you'd better get serious and pray. You don't want to die do you?!"
Aaaah, it's good to be home. I'm not a outdoors-y type of person. As much as I enjoy the sun and the river, I always look forward to getting home, taking a warm bath and checking my email.
The next lightening storm we have, I'm really going to appreciate having a solid roof over my head!
Oh, I'd add some pictures to this post but my connection is painfully SLOW!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
What's been making me smile...
- Homemade rosemary bread
- A long, much-needed nap yesterday
- Another baby saved from abortion
- Kenny laughing so hard he falls over (he takes after his Aunt Leah)
- Hetee helping me make tortillas (his are way rounder than mine)
- Fun down by the river
- Nate's pranks
- Teaching Abi to pour pancake batter
- 20 new people in church on Sunday
- Watching "Pingu" with the kids
What's been making you smile?
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