Month: April 2009

  • Jesus wants the Rose!

     

    I finished this video saying to myself, “YES!”

  • FRUGAL FRIDAY: Working @ home!

    A few things have changed since I last posted about our financial situation. I’m no longer working part time at the school cafeteria. I’m back home now and Hubby and I are much happier about it. We are trying to do everything we can to cut expenses so I can stay home. There is no guarantee but we’re sure doing our best to try and prevent me having to leave the home to work.

    I made up a monthly budget of our fixed and flexible expenses. I also listed those sporadic expenses such as yearly DMV registration fees, birthday gifts, Christian gifts, smog, etc. I divided those by 12 to get a monthly figure which I take out in cash and set aside in an envelope.

    I studied each category to see if I could reduce or eliminate the expense. Any savings then is considered MY WAGES!  

    Here’s how I’ve been making & saving money from home:

    * I wash my car on fridays. SAVINGS $ 6.00 a week/ $24.00 a month

    * I made a baby shower gift instead of buying one. SAVINGS $20.00

    *Christmas is right around the corner. I have a lot of grandchildren to buy gifts for so I’ve started looking for ideas online. I’m currently sewing an adorable doll baby diaper bag/ changing pad for my granddaughters. I’m setting aside at least an hour a day to sew. I’m thinking of the sewing as a ‘real job’ since it will reduce my gift budget allowance.

    * I canceled my AOL subscription. I downloaded Mozilla Firefox for free. I’ll be able to use my old screen name. SAVINGS $11.99 a month.

    * I called our garbage service and asked if they had a smaller can. They delivered a 60 gallon which is working just fine for the two of us. SAVINGS  7.00 a month

    * I lowered our cell phone plan to the lowest one available. SAVINGS  20.00 a month.

    * I’m baking my husband’s snacks for his lunch. SAVINGS 10.00 a month.

    * My husband is a soda drinker. He is limiting his sodas to 2 a day and is drinking Koolaid instead. SAVINGS $30.00 a month

    * I started making my own  feminine wipes. (I use them for quick freshening). I used to buy baby wipes in the store but now I make my own using the baby wipe recipe online. I posted the info about this a few fridays back. But, then I ran out of the Viva paper towels so I made up the mixture for the homemade wipes and placed it in a large ice cream bucket. I keep a wash rag on top of the bucket for convenience.  SAVINGS $3.00 a month

    * I checked with our auto insurance to see if we could lower our rates. They put one of our cars on a low mileage plan which will drop our payments slightly.  I haven’t seen the new bill yet.

    -panti liners (I posted about my homemade ones a few weeks ago. They are working out great. I haven’t ventured to wear them outside the house quite yet but they are working great at home). SAVINGS $12.00 a month ( 3 daily x 25 days =75 divided by 24 equals 3 boxes)

    Monthly (MINIMUM) Savings:  117.99

    This is not a completely accurate monthly savings because I have not listed the savings for the gifts I’m making or the laundry detergent. I’ve also cut our food budget by at least $100.00 a month.. most likely more. Sometimes, if there is an interest, I’ll share what I’m doing to save in the kitchen.

    Bringing money into the home w/out leaving home:

    * I received an offer from Washington Mutual to earn $100.00 if I opened a new account with a $100.00. I did ..and they did! It took me 15 minutes to open the account. Pretty easy way to make a hundred dollars. I’m watching for other legitimate bank offers.

    * I’m doing surveys online and adding the money to my gift budget for Christmas. Pinecone Research is my favorite. I make about $6.00 – $9.00 a month with Pinecone. Plus, they send free samples occasionally to try out. I’m signed up with quite a few survey companies. I’m just about ready to cash in on some of these. I won’t get rich but every little bit helps towards my gift budget.

    * Swagbucks is a search engine. (Click on the link I have in the sidebar for more info).  I’m a few swagbucks away from earning a $5.00 gift card to Amazon. I’ll save these up for gifts.

    * I’m doing some typing for a company. I try to type 3 hours a day.

    I’m currently training for another online job. I want to test it out first before I share the info. If it works there will be a potential to make an extra $3-9.00 a day (for one hours work) answering questions on a search engine.

    Some are probably reading the amounts I am saving and making and think it’s not worth the time. But, a little saved here and there really ads up.

    I’m so happy to be HOME!

     

    Psss…check out more ways to save money at LIFE AS MOM for FRUGAL FRIDAY 

     I’d love to hear how you are ‘WORKING @ HOME’ by saving money or even making money while at home. If you have time could you post some suggestions?

     

     

  • Good morning!

    I’m still spending some of my devotional time in studying about the married woman’s role as described in the scriptures. This morning I was studying 1 Timothy 5:9-10 in John MacArthur’s commentary. I thought this excerpt was especially good and wanted to share it with you all.

    I hope you are all well. I have much to share but extra time has been scarce lately. I hope to share about some changes in my home soon.

    “The qualities Paul gives illustrate God’s design for women. They are a woman’s highest priorities. By following them, she can make a profound impact on the world. That truth is illustrated in a story told by the Scottish preacher Ian MacClaren of a woman in his church.

    As they were talking, she began to wipe her eyes with the corner of her apron, so Dr. MacClaren said, “What’s disturbing you?”

    “Oh,” she said, “Sometimes I feel I have done so little and when I think about it it makes my heart heavy, because really I’ve done so little for Jesus.”

    “When I was a wee girl the Lord spoke to my heart and I surrendered to Him. And I wanted to live for Him, oh so much. But I feel I haven’t done anything.”

    “What have you done with your life?” he asked.

    “Oh nothing,” she said, “just nothing. I’ve washed dishes, cooked three meals a day, taken care of my children, mopped the floor, mended the clothes, you know, everything a mother does, that’s all I’ve done.”

    MacClaren sat back in his chair and asked, “Where are your boys?”

    “Oh, she spoke, “You know I named them all for the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You know them all and you know where Mark is. You ordained him. He went to China. He’s learned the language and now he is able to minister to the people in the name of the Lord.”

    “Where’s Luke?” MacClaren said.

    “You know well enough where he is because you sent him out and I had a letter from him the other day. He is in Africa and says a revival has broken out at his mission station.”

    “And Matthew?” he queried.

    “He’s with his brother in China and they are working together. And John, who’s nineteen, came to me last night to say God has laid Africa on his heart. He said, ‘I’m going to Africa, but don’t worry about it, Mother, because the Lord has shown me that I am to stay with you until you go home to glory, and then I’ll go. Until then I have to take care of you.”

    MacClaren looked at that elderly saint and said, “Your life has been wasted, you say?”

    “Yes, it has been wasted.”

    “You have been cooking and mopping and washing — but I would like to see the reward when you are called home!”
    (from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007.)

  • Our desperate need for Christ!

  • Pay Attention by Carolyn Mahaney

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    Mothers are responsible to mold and shape lives; to raise children who,
    in the words of G.K. Chesterton, “require not so much to be taught
    anything as everything.”

    “I
    might as well be at the controls of a moon shot,” reflected one mom,
    “the mission is so grave and vast.” And so it is. The training and
    discipline of our children in the fear the Lord is an awesome task,
    demanding of our full attention (see Deut 6:5-9).

    That’s why, if there’s one concern I have for this generation of mothers, it is the potential for distraction.

    Blogs,
    facebook, twitter and texting allow moms at home to stay connected with
    the outside world like never before; the Internet makes it possible for
    women to contribute skills and gifts to the church and the marketplace,
    while at home with their children. These are all tremendous blessings,
    and when used wisely, can bless and serve our families and glorify God.

    The Proverbs 31 women, long before the Internet, managed a wide
    range of tasks for the good of her family and community. (But did you
    notice what time she woke up each morning?)  Depending on a woman’s
    capacity, gifting, personal discipline, as well as the ages and number
    of children, there may certainly be room for other things.

    But we
    must be watchful that these “other things” don’t distract us from our
    primary task of mothering.  We must walk carefully through this season,
    with all its opportunities, and make the best use of our time with our
    children.

    Truth is, we can’t effectively train our children on
    the side. We can’t discipline them here and there. We can’t teach when
    we’ve got a free moment. We can’t mother intermittently.

    Inconsistent training is ineffective training.

    If
    we are distracted by projects or pleasure, we may miss valuable
    teaching moments, opportunities to encourage, disobedience that
    requires discipline, or a chance to show affection. These moments, once
    lost, are gone forever.

    So ladies, may I encourage you, as I do
    my own daughters, to give training and discipline your first and full
    attention. Walk carefully, and keep your eyes on the mothering road.

    More thoughts tomorrow.

    *~*~*

    More great articles can be found at Girl Talk Blog.

  • Submitting in the (seemingly) little things!

    The pull on Christian women to adapt to the agenda of our cultural voices of feminism not only comes from society but from our own inward, sinful disposition . Wives want to rule but God has commanded that the husband rule over them. (Genesis 3:16)

    I find it helpful to do a ‘submission’ check on a regular basis. Scripture says that the heart is deceitful and mine is no exception. Lately, I found I’m slipping in a few areas of a submissive attitude towards my husband. I’m taking measures to correct it and pray the Lord will continue to show me where I may be missing the mark in other areas.

    Here is a little ‘submission test‘ :

    Who do you go to FIRST when you need to make an important decision? Your husband or your best friend or your mother?

    When your husband complains about something in your charge do you willingly try to change it or defend yourself? (This might include his correction in how you keep house, the meals you are fixing him, your discipline of the children, etc.)

    Do you trust that God is leading you through your husband? Or do you resist the decisions he makes thinking he is ‘not hearing from God?’

    Are you willing to go where he goes? To dwell where he dwells?

    Do you speak to your husband in the same tone and respect that you would speak to your pastor?

    Oh, I could go on and on. So, how did you do?

    Here is a paragraph I love from an old reprint called, Of Domestical Duties by William Gouge (1622).

    “It is a good proof and trial of a wives obedience, to abstain from doing such things as otherwise she would do, if her husband contrary will did not restrain her: but yet that is not sufficient, there must be an active, as well as a passive obedience yielded. That old Law before mentioned (thy desire shall be subject to thine husband, and he shall rule over thee) implieth so much also. If she refuse to do what he would sav her to do, her desire is not subject to him, but to her self, neither does he rule over her.”