Life is full

First, I thought that I'd share about a book I read this past weekend.  No, this one I got from the library - still free but not to keep.  :)  The book I read was "America's Cheapest Family" by the Economides.  The book was a very easy read and I agreed with much of what they had to say.  I love reading books/articles such as this as I am always looking for new ideas on how to be frugal but yet keeping a full life.  One of their biggest points that they had was to only go to the store once a month.  They go to the grocery store only once a month and get all of their groceries for the month for their 7 member family.  (YIKES!)  They said that the wife (forget her name, sorry) will sit down beforehand, go thru their pantry (etc) and figure out what they have on hand and then make a  meal plan for a full month: breakfast, lunch and dinner.  She bases that meal plan on what the family likes and what the sales are for that particular week then will write the list of EVERYTHING that they need.  The planning and shopping does take longer than if you go weekly or bi-weekly however, they believe that overall they spend less time per month on planning and shopping than if you go multiple times per month.  So yes, they freeze milk, certain fruits they must eat faster than others (they go bad sooner) they do go to the bread outlet store to get great prices on bread and freeze those as well.  (I've mentioned doing that myself).  Part of the reason that they only do once-a-month shopping is b/c they are not tempted to buy things are not on the list as often.  They shared that people often buy multiple impulse buys.  Makes sense.  I absolutely love their dedication and I do believe that I need to implement doing meal planning more than I do and they had many good ideas.  I just enjoy getting out of the house by myself a little and use that time to go to the store - it is my refueling time.  Besides I'd have to buy another big freezer to hold all that food  (just think of all the space the milk takes up!)

That is why I love learning about how people are frugal.  You can still live BIG on less money.  You take what works for you and go with it.  Not everything works for everyone.

So Life is FULL!! :)  I have probably added too much to my plate and am trying to figure out what to do with it all. :)

I will be teaching a class for Indiana Wesleyan starting next week.  It will be one night a week, for 4 hours, 5 weeks straight.  I have missed teaching for IWU.  When I teach, I feel like I am using my degree that I spent so much stinkin' money on!  But more importantly I feel like  I am using the gifts that God has given me.  I absolutely love to speak into the lives of adults.  When Maggie was diagnosed, I was supposed to teach a class the following month and quickly told IWU what was going on and they were gracious in finding someone else to teach the class.  About a year ago (this week in fact), they asked if I could teach a class and I didn't get back to them in a timely fashion as Maggie's health and treatment options were very up in air and took every thought we had at the time.  Since this summer, I have been asking to teach and there just wasn't anything available! Finally this past fall I was asked to teach a class in Mishawaka (they meet in a hotel business rooms, cool huh?).  Then shortly after that I get asked to teach another one and it actually OVERLAPS the first one by one week!    Then I have to do this computer training (have I mentioned that I am not great with computers?) because they have updated things (as they should) but I am feeling lost and having to readjust to things.  But it will be good to teach. :)

Then I am wanting to purge and organize our home.  Have I mentioned that organization is not my strongsuit? Procrastination I am great at.  Making a pile is something that I am good at.  I tend to get overwhelmed by all the "stuff".  But the stuff is getting to me.  Besides I am married to a man who loves organization and gets frustrated by my lack of it.  Of course, it doesn't help that my "organized" hubby brings home an 8' by 3.5' scoreboard and puts it in our storage area (that is not organized).

Last night at church - going thru  Francis Chan's Forgotten God - we talked about how when the Holy Spirit tells us to do something and we dont - for whatever reason; whether "that must just be me" or fear stops us or ...or that we are "grieving Him".  Yes, I knew that, but I think that I had lost perspective of that.  So, following and doing what the Holy Spirit has asked me to do needs to by my first priority.  So what has the Holy Spirit spoken to you about?  What are you doing about it?  Does it scare you?  It scares me.  But then, when I think about it I am more scared not to do it.  I hate the thought of how I have grieved the Holy Spirit because of how I have put off doing what He has asked of me.

How about you?