Purity: Where Do I Start?





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When it comes to handing down a perspective of purity to your children, it is much easier to start at the beginning--the beginning of their young lives! So teach them early. Talking about sexuality with your child is not a one-time conversation. It is a series of conversations leading up to that “big talk,” and a series of conversations coming after it. Purity has always been God’s plan, and as a parent, your home is the place to lay the groundwork. Start with the Old Testament stories that easily demonstrate purity, honor, and integrity:

Adam and Eve—God created one man for one woman. This is the only equation that works. They were the very first family, and they continue to provide the model for us to go by.

Noah’s Ark—Of all the people on earth, only Noah had a pure heart before God. Also, this story again illustrates that God has monogamous couples in mind when it comes to building families.

The Exodus—God’s chosen people were to be set apart, or pure. They went through many rituals to become clean on the outside. Use these stories to talk with your child about how purity of the heart is a clean that must happen on the inside.

The Ten Commandments—When I was teaching these to my then preschool age children, they wanted to know what adultery meant. I chose to explain it this way: God made a special kind of married love for moms and dads to share with each other. It is a wonderful gift! Adultery happens when a person shares that special married love with someone he/she is not married to. That goes against God’s plan for families, and that is a sin. (This definition includes fornication.)
When it comes to defining sex for a young child, how about this: Sex is a special love that a mommy and daddy share with one another in their bedroom behind the privacy of a closed door. This will provide a standard for even a very young child. It shatters that culture's notion that fornication is okay ("mommy and daddy" imply married in a Christian home); it establishes the fact that pornography and exhibitionism are wrong ("behind a closed door"). It retains the mystery and modesty for their young age by defining it as "a special love."

In yesterday's comments, Mommy to Constance mentioned the book, The Princess and the Kiss. This is one of my favorites! Jennie Bishop did a marvelous job in crafting a story book/fairy tale that embraces the beauty and power of purity. It is a must-have in your family's "Princess Protection Program." It is a great resource for planting in your daughter's heart the significance of her first kiss and how it is meant to be saved for her wedding day. Its corresponding book for boys is entitled, The Squire and the Scroll. My friend Susan Henson (keynote speaker at the Pure in Heart Conferences) was so enthralled with these stories that she wrote beautiful devotional guides to go along with them: Life Lessons from the Princess and the Kiss and Life Lessons from the Squire and the Scroll. Beautifully written, these guides are perfect for 8 to 11 year olds. You'll want to check them out!

Thumbs Up for The Princess Protection Program

Hey Everybody,

I hope you got a chance to see Disney's new TV-movie, "The Princess Protection Program" over the weekend. I loved it! For a secular, Disney movie, in many ways it really conveys to girls what being a princess is all about. My favorite line was when Demi Lovato's character said, "I will turn the other cheek, because that is what princesses do." When was the last time you heard that piece of truth spouted off in our vengeful, "payback" world? Viewers were also treated to a montage of true princess behavior: serving others. My, my, my. Unbelieveable! The bad girls were really bad (positively wicked!), and the good girls were really real, and the princess was, in fact, quite royal. And the one who seemed to be a prince, alas, was not, because he was not beautiful on the inside.

Other positive elements included the sweet relationship between the father-daughter characters, Major Mason and Carter. Per Disney's usual m.o., the mother was absent without explanation. My favorite line from the dad in this movie was when he told the princess, "I'm here to protect you, but you need to trust me." (Oh heavens, how many times have I heard that from my Heavenly Father! I need to trust Him!) "The Princess Protection Program" did not end with a guy and girl getting together and a magical kiss--no, this movie ended by celebrating a girl's right to be valued for who she is. You've got to love that!

This week, I'm going to be talking about how you can establish your own "Princess (and Prince!)Protection Program," with several posts on purity. Defining purity for our children is not going to be easy in today’s culture. Our kids' purity is tried and tested at every turn. Kisses are easily squandered, and “true love” is portrayed as common fare. It is important to give our children a perspective of purity by starting conversations early on, understanding the cultural battle we are up against, and practicing the power of prayer. I would love for you to join in the discussion!

For today, please share with me your thoughts on the movie, if you saw it. If you didn't get a chance to see it, is there a movie that you do like sharing with your daughter or son that promotes a purity perspective? Do tell!

Consider This #4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

"Normal is way overrated. Be interesting. Be exciting. Be yourself."

~Bonnie St. John

No Sexting, A Little Texting, Lots of Nexting

Does your child have a cell phone? If you haven't made that decision yet, you can use the tips posted here for helping you in the thinking about it process! There is lots to consider, and dangers abound!

As for this mom, I don't sext (well, of course not!) and I really don't do much texting, either. (Although I do more than I ever thought I would.) But when it comes to communicating with my older teen via the wireless waves of planet cell, I next.

TEXTING + NAGGING = NEXTING

Oh, come on. Don't tell me you don't do it, too? If you're a parent of a teenager who owns a cell phone, I'll bet you're as guilty as I am. And if you're not nexting, it's time you took advantage of this great opportunity!

I normally next as soon as my teen leaves the house. I've been known to next when she's studying. Late at night, early morning...I'm addicted. I'm a next addict.

Typical nexts that my teen receives:
Do u have sunscreen?
Did u put it on?
Does ur bro have on sunscreen?
When will u b home?
Who is with u?
Did u get gas?
(You will notice that I am not much on text/next lingo. In fact, the English major in me cringes at the splintering of the language. LOL)
Nagging is a mother's mantra. Honestly, I try not to. But my teen will tell you that nexting is just one step down. She doesn't seem to mind too much. She never fails to reply to my nexting, and she's quick, too! She adds smileys and winks but gets straight to the point.
yes mam
yes mam
him 2
5
We're at R's house. We're gonna go get J if that's cool
yes mam
Btw, there is no texting, talking, or even reading my nexts when she is driving! By default, it's a great way to get to talk to her friends--who do text, talk, and read my nexts--when they are riding with her!

Learning as I go,

Young Woman of Worth Conference

Hey Everybody,

I spent some time yesterday chatting wth Melody Gidcumb, event coordinator for the upcoming Young Woman of Worth conference (and mighty woman of worth herself!). We are gearing up for an incredible day on Saturday, August 1. If you live anywhere around the area of Auburn, Kentucky, please check out this conference for high school girls (10th-12th grade). I would so love to see you there! The entire day is going to be focused around the story of Esther. I began preparing for this conference last October, and what I've learned about Esther since then, and more importantly, what I've learned about the Lord, is exciting stuff that I can't wait to share!

Today is a writing day for me--I'm deadlining on a feature for ParentLife. I'm looking forward to sharing about this particular article with all of you, and I will even be offering another free book giveaway next week, this time from an author with the kind of life story that makes you laugh, cry, and cheer! (Eventually, I think all of our life stories end up like that, don't you?) I hope all of you have a great Wednesday!

Happy Campers

Hey Everybody,

My teenagers are at youth camp this week, and I am missing them already! But I am so grateful for what this "camp" involves. They are at the beach doing personal evangelism. For months they have been in training with our youth pastor and the rest of the teens at our church, learning techniques, tips, and trade secrets for sharing Jesus without fear. They have journeyed through "Way of the Master" training, as well as learning the key components of the F-A-I-T-H method. Through role-playing scenarios with the group as well as God-anointed opportunities to share for real with lost friends, they have prepped for, planned for, and prayed over this very special week. They are setting an example for me.

Bold faith, real lives, and teenagers who get it when it comes to the urgency of the lostness of our culture--I am one happy momma, praising the Lord for making them His own.

Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and
our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. (Psalm
144:12)

ANNOUNCING THE SEASON OF CHANGE AUDIO BOOK WINNER!!

Hey Everybody,

"Amanda"--You are the winner of my latest giveaway! You will receive a copy of the Season of Change: Parenting Your Child with Passion and Purpose audio book! All you need to do is contact me and give me your full name and mailing address! Your prize will be on its way!

Thanks to everyone for entering the contest!

Consider This #3

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

The best reason to pray is that God is really there. ~Emilie Griffin

eBay Tips for Parents and Kids

Hey Everybody,

As promised, here are some eBay tips for any of you who want to set up a virtual store! This is really a great idea for anyone who wants to ease in to a home business, and it is an excellent way to share the experience with your child. In fact, I think it is critical that if you do let your children take on eBay selling as a summer project, you are right there in the middle of it. While the Internet holds a great deal of promising ventures for our kids, it definitely has a dark side. We are wise--prudent, even--to hold our children's hands as they navigate its virtual streets.

My boys and I are in the process of setting up a store for their gently used items. Garage sales have not worked well for us. (Like our science projects, they never come out right!) We are giving this a go, but it will take us a few days to set things up. Keep that in mind: Even though it's the Internet, setting up a business will not be "instant." Below are a few tips from an interview I did with Stephen Beck of familyebiz.com, first published in ParentLife magazine a couple of years ago. Today eBay has tons of helpful info on their website, too.

eBay is Easy!

“The wonderful thing about eBay,” says Stephen Beck, on the Web at familyebiz.com, “is that you have millions of people walking through your store all day!” So how do you get started?

Find your goal. “Too many people want to replace their income within six months,” Stephen observes. “Realistically, earning an extra $300-$400 a month on eBay would be very easy.” Transitioning from employee to entrepreneur is do-able as long as you make patience and reasonable expectations part of the equation.

Start with your own stuff. When the Becks moved from Texas to Idaho, they sold everything they didn’t want to pack up. “Things that are shippable are better,” Stephen learned. “Books sell very well on eBay, as do name brands.” Once you’ve sorted through your stuff, visit garage and estate sales to find more items to sell.

Make it stand out. “eBay is run by keywords,” he explains. “If I was going to sell a ladies’ facial cream, I wouldn’t start off the description with adjectives. Start with the name of the cream.” And remember to take a photo of your item. “Make it pretty,” says Stephen, who advises propping your items up on a sheet draped across the couch. “Make it look professional.”

Specialize in a high-margin item. “The key to success on eBay is finding high-margin items that you sell over and over,” Stephen says. “You might have to find a wholesaler.” Working toward finding a good product to sell can cut down on burn-out from listing item after item and taking tons of pictures. With one good product, you can use the same description and picture and simply list it every day.

Encourage early bidding. “Bidding in the final few hours is pretty normal,” notes Stephen. “To encourage early bidding, don’t put a reserve on it.” Stephen believes a reserve tends to keep people from bidding because they don’t know what the reserve is. Make it easy for the bidders and you will get more early bids.


"eBay is Easy" Copyright 2007, Rebecca Ingram Powell. Adapted from ParentLife magazine, May 2007.

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

This contest is now closed! The winner will be announced Monday, June 22nd!

Hey Everybody,

If you saw my parenting segment on Fox 17 this morning, and even if you didn't, please leave a comment on this post to be entered to win an audio copy of my latest book, Season of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose. This four-cd set is perfect for moms on the go: commuting, carpooling, or couponing! :) Retail value: $29.99! The contest runs today, Wednesday, June 17th, through midnight on Friday, June 19th. I will announce the winner on Monday, June 22nd, so check back then to see if you have won!

To learn more about Season of Change, click here.

To learn how to take your child from painfully bored to purposefully busy, check out the post below!

Edited 06/18/09: Please be sure to sign in through Blogger. If you don't have a Blogger account, put your name or something that will identify you. If your comment says, "anonymous," I have no way of knowing who you are to announce you as the winner!

Painfully Bored or Purposefully Busy? As Seen on "Tennessee Mornings!"

Hey Everybody,

With the downturn in the economy, jobs--and especially summer jobs--are not exactly plentiful. But for kids ages eight to fourteen, they never have been. This is one segment of our population that has been able to enjoy the lazy-hazy-crazy of summertime, and rightly so! However, if you have kids that are B---O---R---E---D with the lazy and the hazy, and starting to drive you a little bit crazy :), then how about encouraging them to find their own foray into financial fun? Yeah...a job!

Three results you'll see from a summer job:

A strong work ethic. I admit that as a parent, I have not been one to grab opportunities for my kids to learn about business. For example, when one of my children comes to me and says, "I want (fill in the blank)," I am most likely to reply, "Well, let's think about that for Christmas (or birthday)." Instead, what I should be doing is encouraging that child by answering, "So how are you going to make that happen?" Let's go from indulging our kids to helping them grow into financially independent young adults! Work can be one of the most fulfilling things in life, especially when it is coupled with one's natural gifts.

Basic financial foundations. If you spend more than you make, you will be in trouble. Obviously, this may be a more difficult teaching for our kids to grasp since it doesn't seem to apply to the government (just sayin'!), but they need to understand that it does apply to them! And I have found that financial precepts are best learned through hands-on experience. When I was eight years old, I had been saving my weekly allowance of 75 cents for a while because I wanted to buy The DeFranco Family's album. (Does anyone remember Tony DeFranco?) I went with my family to the old Sears store in downtown Nashville, and with my $5.00 in change went to the clerk to make my purchase. One problem: I had not figured in the tax. Now, my daddy could have spotted me the money I needed for tax, but instead, he chose to do something that may seem pretty hard-nosed. He said, "I guess you will have to save one more week." Yeah, he did that! We returned to Sears the next Friday and I bought my album. I still know the words to Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat, and I also know that I had better always add in the tax!

Creative Business Skills. Kids today have lots of options when it comes to earning money. The US has become largely service-oriented, and there are plenty of things kids can do, services they can provide, and needs they can meet. Moving beyond the proverbial lemonade stand, how about these:

Lawn care. People who really don't want to do this will still pay for this service, even in today's economy. A kid can take advantage of this by providing a decent job for far less expense.

Pet care. People who normally use kennel services may forego that option this year when they go on vacation. Kids can provide great care, and vacationers have the added comfort of knowing that a responsible adult is supervising.

Child care. My first summer job was babysitting. I was responsible for a fourth grader who didn't want to spend her summer in daycare. I'm pretty sure I was much cheaper than daycare would have been, and it was more money than I would have made sitting around at home. A win-win!

Backyard day camp. This is creative genius. Two 13-year-olds, one an aspiring dancer and the other a musician, set up a week-long day camp for five- to nine-year-olds. From 9 to 12 each day, they taught ballet and music, played games, and made crafts with around 15 kids. At the end of the week, parents were invited to a "show." These two gals made enough money in one week to pay for movies and trips to the water park the rest of the summer.

Internships. Kids on the upper-end of this age bracket, the ones who are just a year or two away from being able to work, can benefit from internships. They won't get paid, but they will gain experience along with a nice little entry for their college applications.

Photography. A kid who is interested in photography can make a few bucks by working children's birthday parties or sporting events. Mom and Dad get to have fun enjoying the event while someone else plays paparazzi.

eBay store. If you have a kid who enjoys computer games, why not make a game of eBay-ing and make some money, too? I will be posting eBay tips tomorrow, so stay tuned!

You can learn more about raising a financially fit child in my book, Season of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose! Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a free copy of the audio version of the book! I'll be posting those details this morning at 8:15 CST!

**PLEASE NOTE: The giveaway is over!****

ICHTHUS PICS!

(L to R) Kelli, Danya, Kent, and Dwayne (below)

I think these were taken last Thursday, during the first set. Ichthus battled a lot of rain, just like the CMA Fest right here in Nashville. There were a couple of delays in stage times, but from what I read on the Ichthus Facebook page, "It wouldn't be Ichthus without rain!" Behind D you see "Tent City." The Ichthus Festival celebrated its 40th year last week. For some families, this is a long-standing tradition!

Rich always take pictures that show a whole scene, then I get them and crop them down so I can see faces! Maybe that is a man/woman thing, I don't know, but I know I liked this pic that he took! (See how cloudy it is back there? More rain was on the way.)

Here are some faces in the crowd--people having a great time with God's music!

Tent City at sunset...it looks so quiet and peaceful...but I think this is when everyone had headed over to see Skillet!

Taking Inventory: In Cash, In Cache, and In Christ!

Hey Everybody,

I am so into couponing at this point. I have saved just enough money over the past few weeks to be motivated to continue. Also, via Kelly's blog, I found an idea that I thought made perfect sense: taking inventory. If you were about to do a financial plan (budget), you would take stock of everything you had and then go from there, right? You would list your cash on hand, your income, your debts, your monthly bills, etc. Once you knew what you had, you would then know what you needed and how to plan. Well, this link suggests going through your food cache: pantry, fridge, and freezer, listing everything you already have in order to know what you need. I think that's a reasonable idea, and I am going to do it. I admit, I do not look forward to this, and I haven't exactly had time to do it yet, but I am going to do it. This week. (Someone please hold me accountable....)

Now, if there is a financial aspect to taking inventory, as well as a food/couponing aspect, it stands to reason that there must be a spiritual aspect as well, right? Perhaps it would be a good idea to take a personal inventory today of everything that you already have in Christ. This from Ephesians 1:

In Christ...we have every spiritual blessing.

In Christ's sight...we are holy and blameless.

In Christ...we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, and the riches of God's grace.

In Christ...we were chosen and sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

All right, now, really, is there anything else you need?

Praising Him today,

Consider This #2

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

"All the great temptations appear first in the region of the mind and can be
fought and conquered there. We have been given the power to close the door of
the mind. We can lose this power through disuse or increase it by use, by the
daily discipline of the inner man in things which seem small and by reliance
upon the word of the Spirit of truth. It is God that worketh in you, both to
will and to do of His good pleasure. It is as though He said, 'Learn to live in
your will, not in your feelings.'" ~Amy Carmichael

Another Giveaway Next Week!

Hey Everybody,

If you live in the Middle Tennessee / Southern Kentucky area, be watching Tennessee Mornings on Wednesday, June 17, at 8:15 am. I'll be on talking about ways to encourage your budding young entrepreneur with some business ideas this summer! In conjunction with my appearance on the show, I'll be offering you the chance to win a copy of the audio version of my book, Season of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose. Also, next week, be checking back here for ideas on taking your child from "painfully bored" to "purposefully busy!"

People always ask me if mine is the voice they will hear when they listen to the audio version of Season. The short answer is no, it's not me, but the explanation is this: I really considered doing the audio version. I absolutely LOVE to read aloud! Reading aloud to my kids is on my top ten list of reasons to consider homeschooling! Oh, how I love long afternoons spent reading to my kids! I do voices and everything, the whole nine yards! When I read, we always have a Southerner ('course), and I do a pretty good John Wayne, so he usually shows up too! LOL! Tom Sawyer was probably my toughest one so far--everybody started sounding the same, and my Injun Joe was so scary it made me nervous! So much fun! I just love words, y'all, and I love crafting, reading, and devouring a good sentence! But it came down to a time factor, and I just did not have the time to go into a studio and read the manuscript for tape. Sooooo--a really great gal with no accent reads Season of Change to you, and she does a great job, even without any y'all's. :) So stay tuned for that giveaway--a $29.95 value! More details will come next week!

THANKFUL THURSDAY!

Hey Everybody! It's Thankful Thursday!

1. I am so thankful that I serve a Lord whose promises are true! He is so faithful!

2. I'm thankful that we got everything ready for Ichthus without staying up until 1:00am! Danya even got in bed early last night!

3. I'm thankful for this rain! It's just what we needed, and it can't dampen the spirits at Ichthus or at the CMA Festival right here in Nashville!

4. I'm thankful for music lessons and for the marvelous teachers Danya has had over the years: Mrs. Jeri, Mrs. Lisa, and Misty Rae.

5. I'm thankful for one last night this season to watch my 12yo play Dixie Youth baseball!

What are you thankful for today? Join the Thankful Thursday fun at Truth 4 the Journey!

ICHTHUS FESTIVAL: Peace, Love, and Loud Music!

"The Ichthus Festival is a Christian Music Festival happening in Wilmore, Kentucky from June 10-13, 2009. Tens of thousands of people from all over the country will be coming to see the biggest bands in the world playing on 7 stages across 111 acres.

This summer is Ichthus's 40th year anniversary. Ichthus was founded as a Christian response to the famed Woodstock of 1969. This year will be a summer of peace, love, and really loud music! All of the experiences of Ichthus are centered around our mission of providing students with an environment where they can have life-changing encounters with the true lover and peace giver, Jesus Christ." (from the Ichthus website)

Contemporary Christian music has played a huge role in my life--in so many ways it has been the "soundtrack." I wish there had been more of it to listen to and that it had been more available when I was a teenager. (I'm sure I wouldn't have filled my head so full of Van Halen and Loverboy, and even Pat Benatar, if I had more access to alternatives!) The first Christian music fest like Ichthus that I ever went to was in 1995, the Agape Fest. The headliner that year was Steven Curtis Chapman. Jars of Clay was there, just starting out, and a young Australian girl named Rebecca St. James, standing strong for purity, became a role model for the group of teen girls that I was chaperoning from our church.

So, why am I talking about Ichthus here at my place today? Well, I happen to have a daughter who will be playing the festival! If you are planning to attend, please check out Danya Powell! She and her band will be playing four times on various stages, including the Worship Stage and JSL Productions. This is a pretty big deal, y'all, and I sure would appreciate your prayers for her and her band members, as well as all the people who will be attending. We are so thrilled that she is a part of this event!

Cheap Change!

Hey Everybody,

For the record, let me just say that trying to get a worthy shot of my labor-intensive week-long bathroom re-do was quite difficult! It is such a small space, and I'm not a photographer in the least bit, but I tried! In the pic below, you can see the steal of a deal light fixture (exactly parallel to this sink and mirror is another set) that I got for 75% off (making it $9.99). The mirror you see used to be gold. A can of spray paint for about $3 gave it a beautiful facelift! (And working with said spray paint in the basement added more fumes to my brain! Can you spell ventilation? LOL!) I did purchase new cabinet knobs, but I just spray-painted the hinges. Cheap change!

Below you see the fab shower curtain I got for only $7.99. Now, the ceiling above the shower slopes, so there is nowhere to go with that rod. It will only hang evenly in one spot. So, I had to get that stitch-witchery stuff to hem the curtain. (Sadly, my friends, I do not sew.) By Saturday, everyone was pitching in to finish painting all that trim. It took one coat of primer, and three coats of paint. (It was a dark-stained walnut, and before you even think about it, let me just tell you the truth: It was not pretty.) I did not think you really wanted to see the potty or the linen closet behind that door, so that's it for pictures!

All in all, this was hard work, but financially it was a cheap change!

So how is everyone doing with their grocery budgets this week? In addition to my Kroger plus card savings, I saved a whopping $10.20 in coupons! I can't wait to tell Kelly!

Musings of a June Bride (circa 1988)

Hey Everybody,

Do you ever feel like you are a day late and a dollar short? I sure felt that way yesterday morning when I realized that Danya and I had a wedding shower to attend planned for that afternoon! Ironically, I really thought I had my act together when I first got the invitation! This couple is special to us: The bride is our pastor's daughter, and the groom plays music with Danya--both are her good friends. I had the invitation with all the details, including where the couple was registered, in a prominent place in my "stack" of things to do, and I knew that the shower was to take place on June 7th. The problem was that in the course of all that painting last week, I think I was in some sort of time warp! It had not occurred to me that June 7th was already here! For some reason, I had my mind set on next Sunday!

Anyway, I ended up getting them a gift card, but on the way home, I was thinking about my own wedding shower (21 years ago). As a pastor's daughter myself, I received many beautiful, thoughtful items (and loads of towels--always needed!), and we were given so much in the way of gift cards and checks (always appreciated!), but in reminiscing about it with my daughter, there were two significant things I remember getting that I still use today. They are:

(1) A gift set of a large pizza pan, pizza cutter, and cute oven mitts. The giver said to me, "You will use this a lot the first year!" And she was so right! Our first of year of married life was also my senior year of college, and we heated up a ton of pizza on that pizza pan! (We still use it several times a month!)

(2) The red plate. Have you ever seen one of these? This plate is used for celebrating special occasions in the life of a family. We use ours throughout the year to recognize birthdays, spiritual birthdays, and other significant events and achievements.

I have decided from now on, I will make sure that I get more memorable wedding gifts for people--things they can use, things that actually note the significance and the sentimentality of the occasion! Do you have anything that sticks out in your mind when you remember the gifts you got for your wedding? Please share!

CONSIDER THIS

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians (3:1-2)

Here's something to think about this weekend:

Let every woman become so cultivated and refined in intellect, that her taste
and judgment will be respected...so unassuming and unambitious that collision
and competition will be banished...then, the fathers, the husbands, and the sons
will find an influence thrown around them, to which they will yield not only
willingly but proudly.

~Catherine Beecher

MOM GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Hey Everybody,

I used the True Random generator for the drawing, and I'm delighted to announce the winner of the Mom Giveaway: Steve and Allison Alles. I'm assuming that Allison entered the contest, so Allison, please contact me with both your snail mail address and your email address. I will get your books out to you asap and your subscription to ParentLife started! Thanks to everyone who entered!

I am still working on that bathroom! I got to that point yesterday where I was just about halfway finished with everything, and I had one of those meltdown moments! I admit that I am easily overwhelmed, and rather than looking at all that I had accomplished so far this week, I looked at all that I had left to do. Ever done that? And let me tell y'all--I am so tired! I mean dog tired! So I just had to stop, pray, and ask the Lord to just help me! And that's where He picked up and I left off! My sons actually did most of the work yesterday, giving me a much-needed break! They primed the cabinets and all the trim (after I had taped everything in sight! :) ) Today I will actually get the trim and cabinets painted, and we will still be on schedule to finish everything up by Saturday evening, as the Lord allows! I wish I had taken pictures of the "before," but I will definitely take some pictures of the "after" so that y'all can see how it all turns out!

Thanks for hanging with me this week, everybody, as I have returned to blog-land!

Thankful Thursday!

I love Thankful Thursday!

1. My new look! I am so thankful for Edie's giftings in putting this site together for me. I could have never pulled this off, and I'm just really grateful that Edie uses the creativity and design skills that God gave her for His glory!

2. ParentLife magazine. I am so grateful to write for this wonderful Christian parenting magazine. I'm also thrilled that they came alongside me to provide the FREE subscription for my giveaway package! If you haven't entered my giveaway, do it today! This is the last day, and the winner will be announced tomorrow.

3. Friends! It has been so much fun this week reading your comments. Y'all have blessed me! I even heard from a friend of mine from high school!

4. Leftover paint. I have been planning for some time to spend a week this summer fixing up the bathroom my kids share. I had a gallon of leftover paint from another project that was a great color for it, and I found new light fixtures at Lowe's today that were marked down 75%! Perfect!

5. God's re-design. Edie re-designed my blog, and as mentioned in #4, I've been re-designing the bathroom. I'm most thankful, however, for how the Lord has re-designed my life. The blood my Savior shed covers me in His righteousness, and the makeover He gave me continues to take place, from the inside out.

What are you thankful for today?

Three Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store (Without Couponing)

Hey Everybody,

As promised, today I'm going to share with you Kelly's (Faithful Provisions) top three ways to save money at the grocery store...without couponing! So maybe trying some of these tips will help you lower your tab this week. Ever since I have been investigating this new way of shopping, I am finding that going to the grocery store is more of an adventure than ever before! My sons are even enjoying tagging along now because once we get there, it's like GAME ON! It is all about the hunt!

Okay, Kelly's top three (I'll give these to you quick, then if you have to go, you've got them down. Plus, I want to do a quote thingy because Edie has made it look so cool.)

1. Learn to stockpile.
2. Plan your week's meals.
3. Have a grocery budget.

How do you stockpile? Stockpiling is when you buy something when it is on sale, and you buy enough of it to get you through until that product goes on sale again. For example, when your grocery is running a 10 for $10 sale on toothpaste, you buy ten tubes! That's ten extra dollars you're spending, but it is better than buying toothpaste one at a time when it is not on sale and paying $2.99 for it. Get the picture? Learning to stockpile is one reason that Kelly warns people that their grocery bill may actually be larger when they first begin trying to bring it down!

Meal planning is all over the web. Lots of you may already take part in Menu Plan Monday. If you follow that link, you'll find lots of good stuff that will help you start planning your menus. Why does it work? "It's writing down what you're going to eat for the week," explains Kelly. "Start by picking two or three meals a week to plan ahead and watch how easy it makes things." You know what you're going to eat, so you know what you're going to need to buy when you go shopping. Lots of people post their menus on the fridge so that everyone in the family knows what's for dinner!

Another good thing about menu planning is that you can go ahead and start some of your meals as soon as you get home from the store. In the time it takes me to put things away, I can brown all the ground beef I'm going to be using for the week. Multi-tasking, baby! Then I label it according to whether I threw in Italian, Mexican, or chili seasonings, and place it in the freezer. This sure does take the pressure off when it's time to cook dinner!

Have a grocery budget. Oh my--the b-word! "Without a set amount of money," Kelly says, "you don't know when to cut it off." Kelly recommends taking a look at your last two or three months of bank statements. See how much you have spent at Walmart, Target, the grocery, etc. (I recommend that you sit down and have a cold drink close by when you do this.) "You're probably going to be floored," agrees Kelly. She advises people to set spending goals, and once met, bring those goals down to where it takes a little more creativity to meet them.

I hope you are able to use some of these ideas. And now, the question that has been plaguing me ever since I started looking into this whole thing: Do you menu plan according to your coupons, or do you coupon according to your menu plan? Let me know!

My Coupon-Clipping Friend

Hey Everybody,

Thanks for all the great comments yesterday! I'm thrilled with the new look and so glad that y'all like it, too! I had several folks check in from my new friend Kelly's blog, Faithful Provisions. So...why not tell you the story of that connection?

For some time now, I have been frustrated with the continuing escalation of prices at the grocery store! I kept thinking, "But I'm staying on my budget! I buy store brands. I plan the meals. I never go to the store without my list. What else can I do?"

Now, I have never been a coupon-clipper. My theory has always been: If time is money, then I don't have enough time to make the coupon-clipping thing work.

If you know my Lord, then you know that as easily as He can just throw you into a new situation/relationship/mindset, He can also very gently work on your heart about something, too, right? Well, this past school year, I had many conversations with a gal who helps at our weekly tutorials, and she was really into couponing. Every Tuesday we chatted while she clipped and organized a humongous notebook of savings. I must say that I was definitely inspired, but I was not completely motivated. Then one day she told me that she had saved $75.00 on her last trip to the store. OK--now I was motivated!

But it still seemed pretty overwhelming to me. There are some things in life that you just need a hand to hold on to, ya know? And I guess this was one of them for me. I am so NOT an organized person. (For some reason I seem to give people that impression, so let me set the record straight. I am NOT. :) ) And coupons looked like something that would need a lot of organizing to me.

The week after our tutorials were out for the summer, I came home from my weekly trip to the grocery. I had not saved $75.00! I had saved plenty on store brands; I had what I needed for the week, and I had even stayed within my budget. But there was a nagging feeling that I could have done more to make the money go further at the grocery. I could have used coupons. That very day I received an email from the editor at HomeLife magazine asking me if I would do a story on Kelly, the founder of Faithful Provisions, a money-saving website! I said, "Thank You, Lord, I know this story is for me!" and quickly sent a YES back to HomeLife.

Turns out, Kelly's is exactly the virtual hand to hold when it comes to saving money! She is not only walking me through this, but visit her site and she'll walk you through it, too! Tomorrow, I'll be sharing some of Kelly's money saving tips! Today, though, I'd love for you to share how you make couponing work (if you do) and any way you can advise me about getting those little pieces of paper organized!

(Don't forget, if you want to be a part of my giveaway, please leave a comment on the "Makeover and Mom Giveaway" post below!)

MAKEOVER AND MOM GIVEAWAY!

WOW and WELCOME to my "new" blogsite! I'm celebrating this awesome new blog makeover (shout out: EDIE at RICH GIFTS & GRAPHICS!) with a giveaway that's sure to please any mom! Here's what I've got for you:

A one-year subscription to ParentLife magazine!

ParentLife is a superb resource for parents of children 0 - 12 years old. Each month it is absolutely loaded with features that inform, inspire, and encourage you as a Christian parent! RETAIL VALUE: $22.95!

A signed copy of Baby Boot Camp.

If you're not pregnant, I'll bet you know someone who is! BBC makes a great baby shower gift! And if you are pregnant, you will enjoy this collection of devotionals for the first six weeks of your baby's life!

RETAIL VALUE: $9.95

A signed copy of Season of Change

This book is for parents of middle schoolers, kids around 5th - 8th grade. However, even if you have a child as young as third grade, you would benefit from the "heads up" information this book contains.

RETAIL VALUE: $12.99

So, if you do the math, this giveaway is worth $45.89!

How do you win? Just leave a comment ON THIS POST telling me what you think of my blog's new look! I'm going to run the contest now through Thursday. On FRIDAY I will draw a name from the comments and announce the winner! Fun!

please note: This giveaway has ended.