Surprise from Santa

I was called to come to the front office of our apartments this morning and told that there were Christmas treat bags for us from Santa.  They didn't mention that these were actually boxes filled with groceries!  There were bags and boxes for everyone in the apartments complex crammed into that office.  I am amazed by the generosity of the people in this town and I am so thankful that I have a safe and friendly neighborhood to live in.

The Christmas Tree is Up!

Free Christian Books for Kindle

Today on Amazon you can download these two free books to read on you Kindle, PC, or other device:

The World of Jesus: Making Sense of the People and Places of Jesus' Day

I'm No Angel: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model

Amazon Prime Air?!?

This is sooo crazy and so cool! You have to check this out!  Amazon is introducing a new concept of delivering packages to people in less than 30 minutes of when the order is placed... sounds crazy?  By using a small helicopter device to carry packages to your door, Amazon is upping their game in the online consumer world.  I can see how there would be MANY complications with this kind of system, but I think it could happen in years to come.  What do you think?

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Online Safety

Most of the Black Friday ads for the big stores are out!  Besides in-store offers, many retailers offer hot deals starting midnight of Black Friday morning as well as Cyber Monday deals.  If you plan on doing some Christmas shopping, it is important to keep your information safe while buying online.  I found a great list of online safety tips I wanted to share from krazycouponlady.com that can help make the shopping experience easier and safer.

I never even considered reading a company's privacy policy before reading this - who knows what certain companies do with the information they receive!  As a general rule, I only fill out the required information that sites need for an account especially if the address is optional.

Another quick tip that doesn't quite belong on the list, but is a safety measure to yourself, is check out the company's return policy.  This especially true if you are buying things like clothing or shoes that have a good chance of being returned due to size variation.  Some companies offer to pay your return shipping and you can print out a shipping label, some only pay return shipping if you want an exchange or it the item is defective or wrong, and many require YOU to pay return shipping no matter what the reason.  I always check the return policy of any website before making a purchase to decide if buying the item would end up costing me a lot in the long run if there are any issues.

Good luck shopping everyone :)

11 Cent Shipping at Joann.com!

In honor of Veterans' Day, Joann.com is offering 11 cent shipping today only!  They have some great sales if you check out the sale section.  I got a 16x20 black wooden float picture frame for only $8.00 + tax + $0.11 shipping for my charcoal sketch I have been working on.  Many of the Wilton baking supplies are 50% off too.

Calling All Bacon Lovers

Today you can get Bacon Wrapped: The Ultimate Recipe Guide for FREE on Amazon for the Kindle (or supported device).  It has great reviews and why wouldn't it, if it's all about bacon?  Click here to get your copy.

Family Christian Bookstore Black Friday Deals

Family Christian has their Black Friday deals listed online and in their newest catalog!  Some deals include 50% off ALL wall art, $5 Chris Tomlin CD's, $3.97 select Veggietales movies and $3 select other DVD's.  If you're like me and love to shop sitting at your computer in your PJ's with some apple cider, these deals will also go live at midnight Nov. 29 online.  If you plan to go to the store, they open at 6 a.m.  Please note that as of yesterday, the site was experiencing some issues with broken links for some items. Click here to see the deals!

Managing God's Money: Part 2

Perspectives that Impede Faithful Money Management

   Last week we talked about getting into the right mindset about using God's money and being his stewards.  Along with a sinful love of money, there are many "myths" out there about  money and how it is used.  In this section, Randy wants to shine some truth on these false ideas.

Myth #1:  Money is Bad a.k.a Money is the root of all evil.

    We discussed this a little bit last week.  Things cannot be evil - things are inanimate objects that have no feelings or sense of good and bad.  It is the sinful nature of people that makes money SEEM evil.  1 Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.   Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."  In reality, money is simply a piece of paper that only has value because we say it does.  It is a tool that can be used for the right and wrong reasons. So instead of condemning money, rejoice that God has given us a tool that we can use wisely and generously for building his kingdom.

   Some people take the idea of money being bad so far that they completely get rid of everything they do not need and live as simply as possible.  They see money and objects as evil and distracting our eyes from God.  While this is partially true, we cannot be more spiritual simply by getting rid of things.  God blesses us with gifts so that we can use them ourselves and to bless others.

Myth #2:  It's All About Money (and stuff)

  "God created us to love people and use things, but materialists love things and use people."

        The wanting of things can make us do some pretty stupid things.  Stealing. Cheating. Bribing.  I can think of many times in my past where I hurt someone's feelings because I just had to have something, and it hurts both people involved.  There are many examples of people in the Bible who used people for monetary gain.  Delilah betrayed Samson to the Philistines for a fee, Solomon gained large amounts of gold, silver, and wives against God's commands, and Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. We cannot simply assume that we are immune to temptation of misuse of money.  It's hard to realize that our greatest resources are not material, but spiritual. Are the richest people in the world the happiest?  Many studies on this topic say no, in fact, the opposite!  Contentment is not from the riches of this world, but in the riches of Christ.

       I think one of the biggest areas where we need to promote wise use of money is in children.  We don't have any kids yet, but Matthew and I have already discussed how we want to instill some of these values in our children.  It is one thing to provide for a child, but it's another thing to smother them with things.  Christmas in particular seems to be a time when financial perspectives are skewed.  What's the first thing kids think of when you say the word "Christmas?"  Most likely, they think of all the awesome toys they are going to unwrap and play with, not so much the story of Jesus' birth and time with family.  I admit, that's how I thought of the holiday for a long time growing up.  It is a holiday of EXPECTED gifts, or DESERVED gifts.
 
    So parents work overtime to make enough money to buy the $150 toy set of some kind that isn't exactly in the budget but it would be so worth it to see their child's face light up on Christmas morning.  So the day comes, presents are unwrapped faster than lightning, and played with for a few days until it ends up in the mountain of toys they have acquired over the years.

      Although it is fun to give gifts, the lessons we are unconsciously teaching them don't follow God's idea of good money management.  If we grow up getting whatever we want, there is a good chance that we'll buy whatever we want when we have our own bank accounts.  Things like the misuse of credit cards or using all of their paychecks on wants would be far too common.  And the world doesn't help with the situation much either.  We are bombarded with commercials that say "You need this to be beautiful" or "You will feel powerful if you buy this car."  But sadly the satisfaction will never come if we keep buying these things.  Things that appeal to use in small amounts are unappealing in excess.  We need to be good examples not only for our families, but everyone else too.  "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

      Myth #3 If I Obey God, He Will Give Me More Earthly Things  

          This kind of reminds me of the whole Santa thing where if you are good for the year, Santa will bring you more toys.  Makes sense, right?  Not so much in the Christian sense.  Just because you follow God's will does not mean you will never run out of money or have tragedies happen.  However, if we show God that we wish to follow His commands and care for the possessions we have been given, he is likely to trust us with more since we have shown responsibility.  We should not be obedient to get more things, but because God tells us to.

          Sometimes it seems like the exact opposite of the myth is occurring.  People who do not love the Lord end up with really nice things and lots of money and those who love God, suffer greatly.  "Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?" Job 21:7  Job was obedient to God, yet he lost all of his earthly possessions, family, and his health.  Yet even in all of his sadness and devastation, he trusted in God and His plan."I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world," John 16:33

This Weeks Question:  There are plenty more myths out there concerning money that are "busted" by God's Word.  What are some other myths about money that you know of?

Free Microwave Desserts eBook

Now this is my kind of book!  Download a copy of Microwave Desserts:  Sweet, Easy and Fun for All Ages on Amazon.com today for FREE.  Midnight snacks are getting easier (if that's a good thing) ...

RAWRRR

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE

Monsters University Blu Ray Combo Pack only $19.99 Today

The Monsters University Blu Ray Combo Pack is only $19.99 on Amazon today!  Please note that this price can change at any time, so grab it while you can.

Free Practical Solutions Book for Kindle

Right now on Amazon you can download Practical Solutions to Everyday Household Problems for FREE.  Remember that you do not have to own a Kindle in order to read books downloaded from Amazon.  I personally use the Kindle for PC on my computer, but it can be used on a variety of devices.  Click here to browse the various devices.

Cheap or Free Lindt Chocolate Bars!

The high value $2 coupon for ANY 1 Lindt product is back!  Usually these chocolate bars are $2.30 at Walmart but have been on sale occasionally at Walgreens for $2 so pick one up cheap or free!

Click here to get your coupon!

Managing God's Money Part 1

Starting Right: A Biblical Mind-Set About Money

     Money can be a touchy subject for some people to talk about.  Perhaps you have a shopping addiction and don't have money to pay bills on time or your paycheck just got cut at work.  It could even be an opposite problem - there's plenty of money in the bank, but you never really feel fulfilled or happy.  Therefore one would conclude that the saying "Money is the root of all evil" would be correct."  This is far from the truth; in fact, God WANTS us to use money but not necessarily for the things we think we need.  It is to be used strategically.  So, how does God want us to use our money strategically?  First, we have to get into the Christian mindset concerning money.

   I think the absolute backbone of this book and God's message about money is that He owns ALL of it.  He owns everything that ever was and ever will be.

"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it"

Psalm 24:1 NIV

"The land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants"

Leviticus 25:23

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you, you are the ruler of all things"

1 Chronicles 29:11-12

     I think some people gather so many possessions because they are afraid of losing them.  "Things" can become our comfort and reassurance of our success in life and we don't want to let go of that.  But if you look an object and know that God can take that item away from you whenever He wants to, how does that change it's value?

     No matter how much money or possessions we have, none of it is our own, but God's.  So why have we been entrusted with so many wonderful things?  Not only are we entrusted with money, but also our time, talents, the earth, it's creatures, AND it's people.  We have been called to be stewards of God's creation.  What exactly does a steward do?  By definition, it is someone who is entrusted with another's assets.  They are expected to keep the owner's things safe and to make good decisions with them by investing and allowing the assets to grow.

If Christ is not our Lord over our money and possessions, He is not our Lord." -Managing God's Money

Randy includes two great lists in his book that describe the roles of the Owner and the steward:

The Owner shows                                                             

Ownership- has the right to do anything he wants                      
                   with his assets                                                                          

Authority- His will is the final decision                                    
                                                                                                                         
Trust - He trusts us with the ability to manage what            
           he gives us                                                                  

Generosity - he promises us things in return for                      
                    taking care of His things

Expectations - we need to be aware of his high standards


The steward shows

Stewardship: know that we are to care 

                     for things that are not ours

Accountability - we cannot blame others for

                            the mistakes we make

            

 Faithfulness  - stewardship is a lifelong calling

 Industriousness - we must work hard

                 

 Wisdom - to invest in God's kingdom

                                                                 

Respect - doing as the master wishes

  Focus - having our life revolve around the 

                 idea of managing God's money 

                wisely

     In the list it was mentioned that we should be wise so that we can invest in God's kingdom.  How on earth (literally) can we invest in The Kingdom?  A good place to start is to look at where you are spending your money right now.  Mostly in food? Clothes? Cars? Charity? Vacations?  Most of the time, it can be said that where you spend the most money is what you value most.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also - Matthew 6:21

    Material things we buy will not come with us when we die, so what can we buy that makes an eternal difference?  Things like feeding the hungry, funding the building of churches, bible translation, disaster relief, child sponsorship programs....the list goes on and on.  And we don't just need to invest money; invest your time in people who need Jesus.  Invest your talents to create music or art for God's purposes.  Luke 16:10-11 says, "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.  And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?"  This verse invalidates the saying we often hear, "If I only had more (money, time, talent), I would help out more." Forget later - the time is NOW.  God is trusting us to make good decisions with what we have been given and not waste them on our own pleasure.   

So this week I want to ask you this question.  

As of right now, how am I using the money God has given me to build His kingdom?

Next week we will be exploring "Perspectives that Impede Faithful Money Management." 

Click here for Week 2! 

     

New Design and New Series

     Its been a month or so in the works, but I've finally redesigned my blog the way I like.  I applaud the graphic designers and web designers in the world, who have the patience to work with photo editing software day after day.  It gets frustrating when you can't get an image to look just right or fit into the right place! Hats off to you all :)  I've also added some new features here such as the new daily email subscribing list - you can get all the posts from LIFS sent right to your inbox!  I also included an easier to navigate "Blogs I Love" section sorted by category so you can easily find blogs about topics you are interested in.

   Starting this week I will also be launching a new series called "Managing God's Money."  The series will be a summary of highlights from Randy Alcorn's book that helps people understand exactly what Christian financial stewardship means.  When it comes to a Christian perspective on handling money, most people think that as long as they give their 10%, God is satisfied.  But there is SO much more than simply giving a percentage of our income to further the ministry.  Along with the check in the offering plate, our hearts and minds need to be as well.  By understanding the concept of people being stewards and not owner's of God's money, we can better use it to make a difference for the eternal kingdom.

To read some excerpts from the book, check out his book here!

The Chaos of the Pinterest Recipe Board (and How to Control It)

I don’t think any cookbook can possibly compare to the wonder of the “Food & Drink” category on the addicting site that is Pinterest.  It’s way too easy to log on for an allotted time of 10 minutes to look up some recipes for the week and end up spending 2 hours drooling over the images on my computer and writing down the ingredients so I can get everything I need at Walmart to have a recipe frenzy over the weekend.  However, after trying out some recipes and liking many and discarding a few, the “Recipes” board starts to get longer and longer.  Eventually you don’t know which ones you have tried or which changes you have made.  It becomes a patchwork quilt of confusion and frustration when you are trying to find a recipe again.  So what can you do?

                Many of you have probably read various posts on how to make recipe binders and I’m not trying to make a repeat of another one of those.  I want to share with you an entire SYSTEM of my own  (which includes a binder) that has revolutionized the way I plan recipes and keep track of them.  No longer will you have to deal with struggling to find a recipe on your Pinterest board again!  And your binder will only contain recipes you have ACTUALLY tried and love enough to keep.  For those of you who do not have a Pinterest account, just skip over the steps that talk about dealing with boards on Pinterest.

The “Love It!” Recipe System

Step One:  Create Separate Recipe Boards  (optional)

                Some people prefer to put all recipes on one board, and others make a board for each category of food.  Either way works fine – it is whatever works best for you.  But in addition to whichever method you chose, you also need to create a new board called “Recipes I’ve Tried” or something similar.  This is the place where you will move recipes from your other boards once it has been tested out.  This step is not completely necessary and I will tell you why – after testing a recipe out, 75% of the time I add or change something about it and therefore the original recipe page will no longer reflect my changes.  However you can make notes in the description section of a pin, so this could work either way.

Step Two:  Purge the Pins!

                On your recipe board(s), go through all of your pins and move any of those that you have tried to the “Recipes I’ve Tried” board (again, optional) . Your goal is to only have recipes you have not tried left on your food boards.  Get rid of any pins that don’t look that appetizing anymore or pinned to the wrong board (not optionalJ).

Step Three:   Gather Supplies for a Recipe Binder (don’t run away now!)

                This may seem to be the most daunting part, but I found it to be my favorite! There are many many ways to design and organize a recipe binder and it is totally up to you as to the layout you want.  But here, I’m going to share the step of how I made mine.

                First I bought a 2” white binder at Walmart. You want the kind that has the plastic pocket on the outside so that you can place paper inside the covers.  You will also need some photo sheet holders which can be found here.  These hold  (3) 4x6 photos plus a smaller pocket. For some reason, these can be a bit tricky to find in stores. Next you need some regular office sheet protectors like these.  Avery is usually a good brand for these.  If you don’t have any recipe cards or note cards, be sure to grab some or order some online.  If you plan on putting tabs on the side of your binder, get some of those as well.  Lastly, pick up one of these 3 ring pockets that you usually see at back to school sales -  I use this to keep recipes clipped from magazines to try later in, but if you prefer to keep them elsewhere that is fine.

Step Four: Decide On and Design Your Binder

                Plain white binders just don’t seem to cut it for me but I’m not exactly a graphic designer either.  Thankfully I stumbled upon Rita’s blog called “Pink Polka Dot Creations.”  She is AMAZING with computer-made art and she has an entire post full of printables for your own recipe binder you can find right here!  Awesome,  right?  I love how she even makes a blank page so that you can use Photoshop or another program to create your own categories!  This is what I did because I wanted my words all horizontal instead of slanted.  And just so you know, the font is called “Girls are Weird” and you can usually find fonts for free online to download and use in your word processing software.  She also has some tabs you can print out to use. 

                Decide on the categories that work best for you.  Here are the ones I use in my binder.

                                Appetizers, Dips, and Snacks

                                Breads, Biscuits, and Muffins

                                Breakfast

                                Cakes and Cupcakes

                                Cookies and Bars

                                Drinks and Beverages

                                Hints and Tips

                                Holidays

                                Main dish

                                Miscellaneous

                                Other Desserts

                                Pasta

                                Salads

                                Sauces, Gravies, and Condiments

                                Sides and Sandwiches

                                Soups

                                Themed Foods (such as all racecar or princess for birthdays)

The hints and tips section is a great place for me to paste magazine cutouts of "how to" things such as carving a turkey or decorating a cake. 

Step Five:  Put it All Together

                Time to assemble your binder!  For the front cover, I pasted the art on a dark red cardstock that was cut to the binder size.  Then I put a plain red piece in for the back cover.

                Next put your category dividers into their regular protective sleeves and place in alphabetical or “order of meals” order.  If you are using the 3 ring pocket for magazine clippings, put that in the front of the binder.

                Place 2-3 plastic photo sheets between each category for starters.  Add more as needed.

                Before each category page, place a regular sheet protector and put a plain white piece of computer paper in it.  This isn’t really necessary, but it makes the pages look neater as you browse through the book (see below).

                By now your binder is probably getting pretty thick already!  Add tabs if desired to the edges.

Notice how you can see the next category in between the recipe cards?
I thought that looked kind of odd, so adding the white pages at the end helps.

Step Six: Actually Putting Cards Inside!

Now that your binder is ready to go, it’s time  to start cooking! (or maybe it’s a good idea to add all of your current favorite recipes first).  Before copying down all of your recipes on 4x6 cards, let’s decide on a few things first.  Do you want pictures of the finished product on the card or do you want the pictures in that little extra pocket at the top?  Maybe you don’t need any pictures at all.  I used to put the pictures in the top small pocket but now I have decided to leave a 2x2in square of space on the right side so that later I can either print a pic off at home or put 6 smaller pictures on a 4x6 white template and get them printed at Walmart. 

  I have also started to put small “identifier” icons on my recipe cards.  So far, I put snowflakes on the side if it is a freezer meal or a crockpot on the side if it is a crockpot recipe.  This allows me to easily find a recipe based on the time I have to cook.  Maybe you could draw a picture of a clock on the side to say that this recipe is quick to make.  Personalize it as much as you wantJ  I put 2 cards per slot so that both the front and back have a different recipe, but again it is up to you.

You may notice, especially if your recipe cards have that slightly slippery covering, that the top cards can fall out if you tip the binder upside down.  Wouldn’t that be a disaster! ?  I have not had much trouble with this but you may try mini paperclips on the top of each slot to keep the cards in.

Step Seven:  Get Cookin’

                Okay so let’s quick go through one way to actually use this recipe system with a scenario.  You find a recipe for Lemon Bread on Pinterest and pin it for later.  A few days you come back to get the recipe and try it out.  During the baking process, you decide that the bread needs more sugar.  (Either make a note on the recipe you printed, on a sticky note, or on the description section of the pin). After eating your creation, you decide the recipe is worth keeping.  Now you move the pin over to your “recipes I’ve tried” board.  At this point you can either make the recipe card and place it in the correct category and add to googledocs (see next step) , or save that task for a later date (which I often do). If the recipe was a complete flop, simply delete it from your original board and do not make a card for your binder.  Personally, I keep a chip clip on the fridge and place “keeper” recipes there until I have time to write them all down on cards.

                If you don’t use the small pocket on the photo sheets for pictures, you could also add your favorite quotes or maybe even family photos to really personalize your binder.

Step Eight:  Set Up Your Google Docs (optional)

                This may sound crazy, but I’ve worked so hard to gather up all of these recipes so far that I would hate to lose them due to something such as a house fire, flood, etc.  But the biggest benefit of putting my recipes online is to always have them available to me whether I am visiting family far away or at home.  On my Google drive, I created a folder called recipes and in the folder I made separate folders for all of the exact same categories in my binder. (I didn’t both making one for the hints and tips – typing those up from magazines would take WAY too long).  Every time I add recipe cards to my binder, I also add a separate document for each recipe on Googledocs.  I find it easiest to copy the recipe from the website to save time, and then make any changes as necessary.  Googledocs automatically saves as you go so there is no need to hit the save button!  So if ever I have to start my binder over, I will at least have the recipes to go from.  There are other programs you can use instead of Googledocs.  You can even use Pinterest instead and make your changes to recipes by adding to the description section later.

Whew…well I hope that was a bit clearer than mud for everyone.  I’m not the best at writing out instructions but if you have any questions, please ask!  This system has worked great for me so far and I love not having to keep a bunch of cookbooks around.  Does anyone have any improvement ideas or systems that already work great for you?

What To Buy at the Dollar Store

Wow!  It's been a while since I've posted here.  Although I'm taking classes, I'm enjoying my own version of "summer vacation" by doing some swimming, garage saling, and spending time with family and friends.  But I came across an article today that I HAD to share.  I love going to the dollar store, but sometimes I wonder "Is this enough of a quality item to buy even if it is only $1?"

Sarah at Raining Hot Coupons (one of my favorite couponing sites) has put together a wonderful list of what TO and what NOT TO buy at dollar stores :)

Birthday Surprises for Everyone

On Thursday, Matthew took off of work for his birthday so that we could stay home and spend time together.  I spent basically all of Wednesday working on a very frustrating birthday cake which turned out decent, but not what I was hoping for.  Let me just say, be sure to test out any fondant recipes before actually making the cake.  I found a marshmallow fondant recipe that tasted good but it starts to "melt" a few minutes after being out of the freezer!  So my Lego cake plan changed a few times and this is what I ended up with.

Melting.....melting....

After some cake, Matthew opened his presents from me.  Since he loves solving Rubik's Cubes so much, I got this Rubik's game back in March when we went home for the weekend.  One day in Target Matthew saw the game and said "This looks like fun, we should get this game" and I was like "Um, sometime maybe" :)  I also got him a T-shirt and some vanilla wafers (favorite).  The gift that is still on the way (I had to give him a printout of the recepit instead) is the Kinect for XBox!  We're both really excited to try out the games that came with it.

He can't ever leave gifts alone...

So Friday night while sitting at my computer I decided to look up garage sales in the area.  I made a list and map of all the garage sales in the nearest larger town - I had about 25 listed.  We started out at about 8:30 and the clouds in the distance looked kind of blue (of course I wore shorts that day).  And I'm thinking "Nah it can't rain today, it will pass." Yeah.  It rained for pretty much the entire 4 hours we were shopping.  People were covering the stuff with tarps and sheets hoping to keep out the moisture.  Unfortunately we saw more than one box of ruined books.  But that didn't stop us from fiding the great deals.

I found some nice baby items for my sisters baby thats coming soon, gifts for kids in the family, more books to read, craft items, movies, etc.  But the deal of the day was waiting for me at the second house we visited.

I saw in the ad that this person was selling a Silhouette Cameo - yes, a Silhouette Cameo.  For those who don't know what a Silhouette machine is, it's basically a printer, only with a blade that cuts designs.  You find or make designs or type up things in the provided software program, and send it to the Silhouette which cuts out the design for you. If you want to see just one of the AMAZING things this machine can do, click here to watch this demo video.  I've been wanting one of these machines for over a year now, but at a price of $270 on Amazon I wasn't getting it anytime soon.

Upon arriving at the sale, I started looking around for the machine.  Matthew said it might be gone since a couple just came to the sale, asked a question, and left.  But towards the back of the garage, Matthew spotted the machine and my eyes about doubled in size.  A PRICE TAG OF ONLY $100?!? The owner said she had received it for Christmas and only used it twice and she was selling it because she didn't like taking the time to find the designs and print them.  She had the mat, blade, machine, cords, and manual all with it. I was thrilled!!!!  Matthew said it was my early birthday present a.k.a coolest birthday present ever :)

Here is what it looks like...



Yes, it can cut 12x12 paper! ( and fabric, vellum, vinyl, etc)

 

Inside the Silhouette

There is a Silhouette store where you can buy shapes to cut out, but there are also plenty of tutorials on youtube that explain how to use the trace tool to take clip art from google and make your own tracing cut out.  I think I will mostly make my own tracings, but for the awesome and intricate backgrounds and borders, I might purchase a few for $1 each once and a while especially since I want to start on my wedding album soon.

Here is a page that I finished today!  I used my Silhouette to cut out the doves, blue circle design, and banner with words.  I'm so excited that I don't have to just use pens/markers or expensive premade letter stickers on my pages anymore.




I crossed out the names on this since I'm posting it online.

This is the design from google I used for this page

 

The Guilt That Doesn't Belong to You

It's been one of those days- when you think about all of the things you have said, thought, done, or DIDN'T say, think, or do that hurt other people or yourself.  The sins of years past come out from the shadows into the open and won't leave you alone.  The guilt weighs your heart down and prevents you from moving on with the day and even though you have asked God for forgiveness, you still worry about the feelings of others or if people will see or treat you the same way.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

So are you living with feelings of guilt, or in God's truth?

Guilt is a very powerful tool used by both God and the devil, but it is used in very different ways.

God uses guilt to remind us of our unconfessed sin.  It's like a flashing sign saying "Hey! There's something weighing you down, so bring it to me and repent of your sing."  God wants us to have a peaceful heart - he doesn't want us to live in guilt forever.  By confessing our sin to Him, that true guilt is no longer from God.

But what if I still feel guilty after repenting of my sin?

Satan doesn't want you to feel the peace that God gives. He gives us a false sense of guilt.  How do you know which guilt you are feeling?  Ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Have I confessed and repented of this sin?
2.When did I confess it?
3. Was I sincere?

If you answer yes to all these questions then you are forgiven and the guilt you feel is a false guilt from Satan.  If you had a no, you can ask God right now for forgiveness and have peace in your heart.  And when memories of your sin and guilt come up in your head again, tell Satan that he has no power over you but that you have been reminded of God's mercy.

Of course, if your sin has also hurt someone else it is important to ask for their forgiveness too.  Anyone and everyone can be hurt by another's sin and it is important to let both God and others know how we feel.

Guilt hurts more than a splinter, more than a bee sting, more than steeping on legos....gasp.  But that doesn't mean you have to let it fester inside of you.  There is a way to free yourself from the guilt and know that God has forgiven your sin.

(If you'd like to read the full article "Living with Guilt" click here.)

"Crazy Love" - Part 1

I guess I'm a little behind - this book came out in 2008 along with all the hype surrounding it.  Honestly it's been on my bookshelf for a few years and I wish I hadn't waited this long to read it.  I'm working on chapter 6 right now, but there was so much content already covered so I decided to split my discussion into at least 2 posts.

"Crazy Love" is by Pastor Francis Chan.  The main idea of his book is that people are missing the mark of what God wants his followers to do and how to live for him.  At the beginning of the book, Chan asks the reader to watch this video in order to prepare your heart and mind for what he has to talk about.

Certainly the most interesting chapter so far is chapter 4, where he talks about "lukewarm Christians" or halfhearted love for God.  When I first started reading the chapter I was like "Of course I'm committed to God- what is he talking about?"  But after reading the chapter, I knew I was guilty of more than one of these statements.  (These are directly from the book)

1. Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe “good Christians do, so they go. (Isaiah 29:13)

2. Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church…as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right? (1 Chronicles 21:24; Luke 21:1-4)

3. Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives (Luke 6:26; Rev. 3:1; Matthew 23:5-7).

4. Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one (John 10:10; Romans 6:1-2).

5. Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers (James 1:22; James 4:17; Matthew 21:28-31).

6. Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion (Matthew 10:32-33).

7. Lukewarm people gauge their morality or “goodness” by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren’t as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the street (Luke 18:11-12).
I think I commit this sin every day.  "At least I'm not like THAT person" goes through my mind often.

8. Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives (Luke 9:57-62).

9. Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for the average person; it’s only for pastors and missionaries and radicals (Matthew 22:37-38).
I have to disagree with the 2nd half of this statement.  Only pastors, missionaries, and radicals can be completely devoted to God?  If that was the case, people with any other career than these 3 things would be considered "less Christian." 1 Corinthians 10:31 says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  God wants all people to come to Him, not a select few.

10. Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached (Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 14:12-14).

11. Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money and energy they are willing to give (Luke 18:21-25).

12. Lukewarm people think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today’s to-do list, this week’s schedule, and next month’s vacation. Rarely, if ever, do they intently consider the life to come. Regarding this, C.S. Lewis wrote, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this” (Philippians 3:18-20; Colossians 3:2).

13. Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor. They are quick to point out, “Jesus never said money is the root of all evil, only that the love of money is.” Untold numbers of lukewarm people feel “Called” to minister to the rich; very few feel “called” to minister to the poor (Matthew 25:34, 40; Isaiah 58:6-7).

14. Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be “good enough” without it requiring too much of them. They ask, “How far can I go before it’s considered a sin?” instead of “How can I keep myself pure as a temple of the Holy Spirit?” They ask, “How much do I have to give?” instead of “How much can I give?” They ask, “How much time should I spend praying and reading my Bible? Instead of “I wish I didn’t have to go to work, so I could sit here and read longer!” (1 Chronicles 29:14; Matthew 13:44-46).

15. Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God (1 Timothy 6:17-18; Matthew 10:28).

16. Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel that they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the label Christian or because some people persist in calling us a “Christian nation” (Matthew 7:21; Amos 6:1)

17. Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don’t have to trust God if something unexpected happens-they have their savings account. They don’t need God to help them – they have their retirement plan in place. They don’t genuinely seek out what life God would have them live – they have life figured and mapped out. They don’t depend on God on a daily basis – their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn’t look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God (Luke 12:16-21; Hebrews 11).
This one got me thinking too.  I live a comfortable life- I don't go hungry, I have a place to live, I have nice clothes, and nice things.  If I lost it all, would I be mad at God and still thank Him or would I feel insecure and lose trust?  "Prosperity hardens the heart." - William Wilberforce

18. Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn’t be more wrong (Matthew 23:25-28).

Alright, how many can you relate to?  Kind of shakes you up a bit, right?

Of course, no one is perfect.  Certainly God's grace covers us - but we need to strive to break away from these habits and WANT to turn away from them.

In chapter 5, Chan makes a statement that many who have read the book find controversial.  He says that lukewarm Christians will not go to heaven.  I don't really know where to stand on this one...God says in John 3:16 that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  It depends how you define lukewarm I guess. Is there such a thing?

  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic and book in general :)

Patio Work

We are finally done with our patio work!  Here are some pictures to show you what's been going on...

We bought 8 packs of impatiens, which was a few too many so
we had a few left over.  The planters had old strawberry plants
in them which we had to rip out first.

Lots of dead....stuff.

We didn't know how far apart to plant these things
so I hope this works out ok!

Tada! We found this pretty patio set on sale that
came with 4 chairs and the table for $99.  I know it would
look nicer if I put away the bucket and dirt:)  Plus the 2 trash
bags in the back (I'm cleaning cast iron pans with oven cleaner
in those-they have to sit in the bag for 2 days ugh)

There was also a flower bed on the other side of the apartment that obviously hadn't been tended for the last one or five years.  We didn't plant any flowers there but the weeds had to go.  In the process we found a porcelain bed post knob, a nylon belt, a small plastic dump truck, and a shower curtain rod!  Who would have guessed?  So now all I have to do is find a windchime since all our neighbors have one :)

Root Beer Float Cookies

 

I found this recipe for Root Beer Float Cookies at Six Sisters Stuff and they were delicious!  Mine didn't turn out as flat or as dark as the ones in the picture, but they stayed nice and soft.  The original recipe can be found here - I actually havled the cookie recipe and thirded the frosting recipe since I don't like to overload my cookies with frosting.

Cookie Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. root beer extract or concentrate

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar (or icing sugar)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 Tbsp. milk

1/2 to 1 tsp. root beer extract or concentrate

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg an beat into mixture. Beat in buttermilk and root beer extract.

Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Frost cooled cookies.

 

Makes 18-22 cookies.

Yellow, Orange, Pink...

So I can't decide what kind of flowers to put in the planters - I like the combination of yellow, orange, and pink if that makes things any easier.  Their in the shade most, if not the entire day so I need flowers that LOVE shade.  I think the only times I've planted something in my life were in kindergarten (a flower) and the sunflower kit I bought last year which promptly died. 

I don't know anything about gardening or how to care for plants or what kinds to choose.  I'm just trying to keep the animals alive at school.  So does anyone with a green thumb have suggestions for flowers that love shade and would not get too tall and don't need much space to grow?

E(x)ponential Living

A found an interesting sermom series that I think is worth listening to.  You can either watch the 3 videos or just listen to them.  It kind of gives you a new way to look at living and why you should live it to the extent God intended.  The part about investing in other people is especially important.  Here is a link to the series : http://cplace.org/sermons/exponential-living-invest-invite/

Vows for Summer

This summer, I vow (will try my best) to:

1. Read more books for enjoyment - like the ones on the bookshelf that never move

2.  Scrapbook like there is no tomorrow

3.  Work on putting together my "nerd book" for veterinary technology which I'm way behind on.

4. Spend more time with my husband that doesn't involve Netflix.

5.  Take more walks and take pictures of the town while we still live here.

6.  Spend more time in God's Word and more time reading Christian non-fiction books.

7.  Take a short vacation somewhere with my husband.


I think that's a good list for now :)

Unashamed: Starfield

One more song for you guys during the A to Z Blogging Challenge!

"Unashamed" by Starfield is one of my favorite songs ever and it has outstanding lyrics.  I'm not talking about perfect writing and all that jazz, I mean an outstanding message.  I suggest reading the lyrics first somewhere then watching the video.  If you ever get a chance to hear these guys in person, GO!  They came to my first college a couple of years ago and had an awesome concert.

Unashamed - Starfield

Thankful, O So Thankful

What a day.

Today was the day that I have been dreading for 2-3 weeks now - Practical Nursing Exam (animals, not people) :)  I'm pretty good at written tests but when I'm being graded on something that I have to actually DO, I freak out and usually mess it up.

I met with some friends over the past week practicing all of the things we have done in lab.  I've discovered that I'm not very good at drawing blood or IV injections, and I've never gotten blood from the jugular vein yet.  Plus although i could do most of the bandages, I'm not confident in them.

For the practical we draw a task from a pile and have to do it.  I think that is kind of what sucks about these kinds of tests- pick the one you aren't good at and you could get a bad grade but the person after you picks something easy and gets a good grade.  Hate that.  So I really hoped that i wouldn't draw IV inection or blood draw.

I have been praying daily that I would do well on the exam and if possible, I could draw physical exam.  Although it was said that this is the test most often failed by students, I desperately wanted it because I studied the book, notes, watched youtube videos, and ran through the test in my head multiple times.  I even had Matthew buy a flea comb at Walmart just so i could use it in case I got physical exam! 

Well, I was asked to pick a piece of paper from the pile. I saw one and was about to take it, but for some reason I had the urge to pick the one UNDER that paper.  PHYSICAL EXAM!  I had to read it twice to be sure.  Being kind of nervous I did skip over a few things that I had practiced but I thought it had went really well.  As I was leaving my teacher said I did a really good job and that she was impressed with how it went!  Of course, now that that's over, I should concentrate on working on some of the things I can't do as well but for tonight it's Pizza Hut pasta, breadsticks, and Hershey sticks :)

Sleep is Good....

As contradictory as this sounds, sleep is what keeps you awake.  When you don't get sleep, it can be hard to function mentally and physically which is why they say you should always get a good night's sleep before big events such as sports games or tests.  Sometimes though, no matter how hard you try, sleep can be hard to come by.  I've been having trouble falling and staying asleep the past few months (it's not just finals).  I found that Tylenol PM works really well for me, but I don't think it's a good idea to be taking that kind of medicine just as a sleep aid.

I've been looking up some natural remedies such as melatonin supplements and getting more excercise since I don't want to go into the perscription route.  And counting all those sheep just doesn't cut it.

Does anyone have any good ideas or tips on how to fall and stay asleep?

Rest

It's been a good weekend of rest, even though I've got some kind of bug again.  Slept in on Saturday, watched 4 episodes of Numbers with Matthew, made brown sugar cookies, made bakes potatoes with cheese whiz and broccoli on top, and started on a scrapbook page. Today we went to church, I went to school to practice horse slings, hobbles, and sidelines, then came home to finish my scrapbook page and do some homework.

I can't believe I only have a week and a half of school left!  Then we get a 5 week break which doesn't seem like much but it is to me!  During that time I hope to put some flowers on our back porch and work extra hard on my scrapbook pages.  I mean really, when else in my life am I going to get 5 weeks with nothing to do....?  It might also be a good time to start x-ing off some of those projects on my pinterest board. 

Do you have any spring plans for some days off?