another lesson on perspective

i just have to say it: thank GOD for his favor in unfavorable situations... and that is the story of my entire day.

it started with my dryer breaking. the service call was an outrageous amount, but at least repairing it was cheaper than buying a new one. also, the technician was able to tell me what was wrong with my oven. the cure is much, much cheaper than a brand new oven. so we'll be able to save money and fix it ourselves. that was favor in an unfavorable situation.

then my cat got worse. she's been limping and looked terrible, so i took her to the vet...again. the last vet visit cost an arm and a leg and ended with them telling me they didn't know what was wrong. today's visit found the reason for the limp...an infection. the vet didn't charge me. he figured i'd paid enough already at the weekend animal hospital. he was right. again, a little favor.

on my way to the vet, i found i had a flat tire. thankfully, i was able to borrow my mom's car and get to the vet before they closed for lunch. the tire can be used as a spare, and our spare is actually a better tire. go figure.

on my way home from the vet, i got stuck in traffic by a train in downtown griffin. i was getting frustrated but tried to remain positive. i began thanking GOD for all the favor he had shown me when the next lane opened up just enough for me to slide over, catch the side road and cross the bridge over the train.

and if that wasn't enough...our dishwasher has been broken for months. someone called and wants to bless us with a new one! now that time...i cried! wow!

i had a few moments of getting down and spewing complaints. but i fought it, and ultimately, i came out positive and grateful. and GOD did an amazing thing!


my perspective made a huge difference in my day...and what a day it was! thank you GOD for your incredible favor!

personal: 4 in 4

4 things i am working on for the next 4 weeks:

1. lose 7 pounds: exercise regularly, eat smaller and healthier portions. get back to walking 3 miles.
2. bible reading: stay current on my reading plan
3. emerge ministry: put finishing touches on powerpoint and sessions; plan worship sets
4. home: organize and down-size (declutter) living room, dining room, kitchen, and laundry room

i decided to break down my resolutions into smaller, easier-to-handle pieces. each month, i plan to evaluate and plan my next set of goals. so here i go!

coupon class

i attended a class last night on how to use coupons. i already knew a lot being a devout coupon user, but i learned even more. i'm so glad i went.



here's what i do now:

• i have a binder and put my coupons in baseball card sheets. that way i see what i have.


• i check the sales papers and plan my trips.


• i use internet and e-coupons. register with your grocery store like http://www.kroger.com/ and http://www.pgesaver.com/, and http://www.shortcuts.com/. a lot of stores will let you stack coupons which means you can use manufacturer, store and e-coupons on the same item. internet coupons include coupons.com.


• i clip, clip, clip coupons from the sunday paper...ajc is the best.


• i get updates with http://www.southernsavers.com/, but i'm going to try out http://www.couponmom.com/ and http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ to see if they are better.


• i shop bj's warehouse b/c they take coupons. they also mail out great coupons and i can use my manufacturer coupons on top of their store coupons. also, i can use multiple coupons on the big stuff. i.e...there are 12 frappaccino's in a pack. i have 3 coupons. they are $2 off a 4-pk. i can use all 3!


• i love cvs extra bucks!


• i only shop at places i can get double coupons.

here's what i didn't know or think about:

• pay attention to coupons in the store next to the products.


• ask when they mark down meats and produce. some stores do this in the mornings. and when the new produce comes in, the older produce gets marked down.


• publix takes competitor's coupons (yay!)


• when on long grocery trips, carry a cooler for chilled items


• work with a friend


• save expired coupons. the military can use them for a few months (if anyone does this, i would like more info)


• print out store coupon policy and bring it with you just in case


• make a price book for my regular items so i know how much they are at the stores i shop


• pay attention to end of the season sales


• if it's gonna be free, get it and bless others with it...i really like this one. so now i'm gonna keep all my coupons just in case for this reason.

other things i liked about the class...

• she talked about being honest and nice when using coupons...when i have a lot of merchandise and someone comes behind me with just a few items, i always offer them the chance to go ahead of me. i have won over employees and customers alike with this approach. even better is if i see they have an item for which i have a coupon i'm not using. i love doing that. it gives coupon users a good reputation.


• buy those free items that i don't use and give to others. in this economy, there's not a lot of extra money lying around, but i can use coupons and sales to buy up items for gifts.


• she talked about the proverbs 31 woman...i think she would have used coupons! lol!


• i loved the fellowship. for me, it was like a reunion. i got to see old friends and enjoy their company.

if you have tips, please share! i'm all about saving money these days!!! hope i've been able to help!

how we survive things like home improvements

there's nothing like shopping and home repair to bring out the worst in us. david hates shopping. i hate going with him. david doesn't know much about home repair. i hate details. instructions upset me. not sure how the phrase "devil's in the details" originated, but i must voice my agreement nonetheless. the devil is certainly in them. i'm a big picture person. details tend to frustrate me. i like to leave them for others to do.

i have to admit though that today we did well. there was no fussing or eye rolling at lowe's. i did have to walk off once or twice due to my own aggravation. david wasn't impatient as usual. i think we did well. he did the first repairs by himself while i took a nap.

i think our marriage has survived this long because we know ourselves well. we both know that david hates shopping. therefore, when i am undecided about what i plan to purchase or i'm using coupons, i leave david at home. and david has learned that i process out loud. when i'm frustrated, he lets me process my way through it. he used to "get on to me," as we say in the south, to which i'd snap at him. yeah, that didn't work too well. =)

we've learned to respect each other, to celebrate with each other, and to show our appreciation for each other. tonight, i'm taking him out on a date because he spent the morning on home improvements. i think he deserves it. and he knows i've had a rough couple of weeks, so he's gonna let me take him out. how sweet of him. =)

home improvements are a necessary evil. though we don't always see eye to eye, there's no one else i'd rather do them with.