Forced to stop

This is a crazy time, a time where our plans are all forced to stop!

It's a time that proves once again that you cannot assume you will have a tomorrow that looks the same as yesterday.

I was out early this morning getting all errands run so I could take advantage of being home, getting some projects done and then relaxing.

I saw fear in people's eyes.



I heard conversations that made me sad...a lady at the front of the line at the grocery store talked about how scared she was.  Her husband was waiting to hear if he'd be let go from his job and she herself had very few hours to count on, she said "I'm scared".

This period of time is going to give us so many opportunities to share the Gospel and explain to people that God is the only unchangeable in all of creation.   But, right now there are also practical ways we can be Jesus to people.   And I suspect that may be even more powerful than just talking right now.  There is SO much talking right now....

Watch for opportunities that wouldn't have existed a couple of weeks ago without the virus.  It's not that hard to understand how the Lord will use this time to lead people to Himself!

Men offer nothing to turn to, nothing to count on that can't change in a moment of time.

God Almighty is the same yesterday, today and forever!!

my day off

I have spent the entire morning sorting out the old and putting in the new. Fitting I guess!

Throwing away:

• old coupons
• old food in fridge
• old newspapers
• old mail

Putting in:

• new coupons into my coupons notebook
• fresh food after grocery shopping
• food in the crockpot for this evening's meal
  
• outgoing mail to the post office dropped off
  

This type of re-organizing I love. It just makes the week begin better, more organized. After I go to the gym I have a stack of reading - conference opportunities, magazines and old to-do lists. Following that reading there will be more throwing away.

This new year promises to be filled with many potentially stressful personal responsibilities. I plan to talk to God a lot this year, because during stressful situations come amazing opportunities if we can view them through God - eyes. Potential life changing opportunities in 2010...that sounds like it is worth preparing well for... Happy New Year!

my day off

Today seemed like a good day to finish preparing for Thanksgiving. It is now 7:11 p.m. and I have done nothing I planned except grocery shopping with my hubby.

I am used to shopping alone and he is used to avoiding having to go. But, following breakfast out together we decided it would be the least busy time of the day to go.

I had tons of coupons with me - sounds good, but, did I mention I hadn't sorted them yet from this weekends fliers? Not good - thank goodness there was a Starbucks in the grocery that I could distract him with!

We needed 2 of the turkeys over 18 lbs. that were limited to one per person as well as requiring a $30 minimum with each. And of course we didn't ask if that was before or after coupons so....we stood with 2 carts mid aisle and tried to make sure we met the minimum digging all the while through my unorganized coupons. (I am happy to report the coupon savings was close to $15.00 and each turkey under $7.00 each - my husband is still trying to figure out if it was worth buying newspapers and the hassle for that amount of savings.) Finally an hour and a half later we made our way to the check out!

Couponing does create conversation opportunities, today as I stood flipping the pages in my 'sport card' coupon holder notebook a lady stopped by remarking, "good for you honey, I should do that too!"

A few days ago I picked up a couple of things at store I don't typically go to and used coupons and the check out guy said, "You don't strike me as the couponing type". What does that mean??

Two weeks ago a young check out guy proclaimed, "you win first prize for having the best system of organizing your coupons!"

You would think it's the highest accomplishment of my life!

All of this to ask you the following questions:

Is couponing worth the effort?

Does any tiny savings justify doing it?

Do you only do it when prime opportunities arise with combinations equaling huge savings?

I welcome any tips you are willing to throw my way! Or if you want to be the Biddle's private coupon consultant that would be good too!