It's About to Go Bad!

What should I do??  My food is about to go bad, and I don't want to waste it!

Well, here's what I've come up with... this is a constantly revised post (meaning I'm planning to come back and update every time I think of something else to add), so come on back to see what else you can use even if it's about to go bad in your fridge!

Cake
Carrots
Cheese
Yogurt

If you have any other ideas for me, feel free to comment!  If there aren't links, it's just because I haven't gotten to it yet, but I have ideas so check back soon!

 

Coupons!

I have recently learned how to use coupons, and it is saving me a lot of money!  One of the hardest parts of starting, though, was finding great couponing sites.  The other piece of couponing that I've learned is it is most beneficial when you use a coupon on top of an in-store sale.

Here are the sites that I use:

Couponing "Lingo" - - I have this in my favorites so I can return to it whenever I want.
Database - - From Family Friendly Frugality, this page has a database of coupons.
Coupons - - This is from Coupons.com - just click on the coupon, print it, and bring it to the store!
Coupon Mom - - This woman has another database of links to where you can print coupons for free.

Do you have any tips for me, as a first-time couponer?  Leave them in a comment below!

 

Trusting Him

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

~ James 1:2-6 [emphasis mine]

There have been a lot of questions recently regarding what people learned in 2012.  Well, I have something I learned over the course of 2011-2012.  I just really hope I'm done learning it!

God has given me the opportunity over the course of the past two years to learn how to really trust in Him.  Early in 2011 my husband and I found out we were pregnant.  We had recently talked about having a baby, but, like most first-time parents, had no idea what that would truly entail.  When I found out I was pregnant, my husband and I were terrified.  Lesson #1: Rely on God for peace.  I can't say I learned this lesson overnight.  It took a long time.  Longer than I'm willing to admit.  Something I learned about surrenduring to God, though, is that it has nothing to do with being comfortable.  It has nothing to do with feeling good.  It has to do with feeling the fear and knowing exactly what to do with it: giving it over to God.  And every time that fear crawls back, you turn to God.

When I had my first OBGYN appointment, I really had to trust in God.  If you didn't already know this about me, I hate the doctor - - and avoid going like the plague.  Well, that became difficult to do once I became pregnant.  Lesson #2: Rely on God for guidance.  I walked into that office, my hands shaking with fear.  The same fear that I had to surrender to God, I found myself relearning my first lesson while I followed where He led me - to the greatest OBGYN I could have asked for.

There was a lot of re-learning those first two lessons throughout my pregnancy.  When I went into labor, though, I had to learn a new aspect of trusting in God.  Lesson #3: Rely on God for strength.  Labor began at midnight on January 21, 2012.  I had no idea what a long day that would be.  I'll tell you my labor story in another post.  Bottom line: I was tired.  I don't do well on less than 9 hours of sleep, let alone when I'm trying to push a person through my body.  Exhaustion swept over me multiple times that day, but the Lord gave me the strength to perservere through it all.  Almost 22 hours later, my little man was born.  He is the greatest gift God could have given me in return for learning my lessons.

But the teaching wasn't nearly over.  Throughout 2012 I was tested in many ways as a new mother.  As I embarked on this new journey of motherhood I continued to learn these same lessons over and over again.  Endless trips to the pediatrician tested how well I had learned my lesson of relying on God for peace.  How I was to make decisions as a new mother tested how- well I had learned my lesson of relying on God for guidance.  And late-night feedings tested how well I learned my lesson of relying on God for strength.

If I learned one lesson in 2012, it was this: Rely on God for everything.  Still learning with each new day what this truly means, and hoping that the next lesson will be easier!

 

You Are Beautiful #3: Make a Change

Boy, this has been a great series!  We're on to my third post of this series on a woman's natural beauty.  If you have missed the last two, I suggest you start with the first and second posts before reading this one.

It's so easy for us as women to feel unbeautiful.  We've talked about how our mindsets are affected when we surround ourselves with the media rather than God's Truth.  But sometimes even when our hearts and minds are in the right place we still feel unattractive.  What can we do about that?

You Are Beautiful #3: Make a Change

We need to realize how our bodies and faces are beautiful.  Take a good look in the mirror and point out the aspects that make you beautiful.  Even better, have your husband or a good friend do this for you.  Have them be specific.  Write down what they say.

Something amazing happens when we write things down.  Yesterday we wrote down verses that would remind us of our beauty.  The act of writing down encouraging words helps that encouragement to stick in your mind.  Once it is in your mind, it will eventually collide with your heart.

The other thing that writing down positive and encouraging messages to yourself does is it gives you something to look back on when you're feeling down.  Keep the paper on which you're writing these things down and look back on it often.

When you're done with this exercise, pick out three things from your list that you feel good about naturally.  Put stars by those.

Pick out three things from your list that you find it hard to believe is beautiful about you.  Underline these.

Take those underlined things and we're going to work on them.  No, this doesn't mean that we're going to "fix" what you think is wrong with yourself - - because it is obviously something that is beautiful about you.  The people in your life (especially a family member) won't lie to you about what makes you beautiful to them.  You know how it's easiest to be mean to the person you're closest to?  Well, if you had a sister or your hubby make this list for you, you can bank on the fact that they didn't lie.  They'll be more honest than a girlfriend or most strangers off the street, who might try flattering you just to be nice or avoid conflict.

Take a look at the list I've compiled below and follow the appropriate links, based on what you want to feel better about.  You'll be making a change in how you show off that part of your body so that you feel better about it.

Hair - - Go get your hair done professionally.  Get a new style or color, or just learn how to style your hair differently!  There are lots of YouTube videos that can help you - - type in "how to style ___ (short/long/medium) hair"
Complexion - - Visit the link to find out what colors you should wear to best compliment your complexion.
Nose - - I strongly encourage you to learn to accept your nose as it is.  If it bothers you very much, find ways to accent your other features (like your eyes or cheekbones).  God made you beautiful - - and He made your nose to perfectly accent your face.  If you feel like it is too big or small or curvy, you are not doing a good job accenting your other features.
Eyes - - The link here will show you a way to moisturize your lashes - which will help them to not fall out and possibly even be fuller!  Eyelashes were made not only to keep things out of our eyes, but to accentuate the natural beauty of your eyes.
Neck - - If you're like me, you have some flab under your chin.  Ugh!  Don't you hate it?  The way I deal with it is to keep my heal up high.  When I look down, I try to keep my chin away from my neck.  But every once in a while, to make sure I'm not getting too vain, I do pull my chin close to my neck and embrace the skin I'm in... even if it is stretchier than I'd prefer.
Breasts - - If you're married, I hope your husband has told you how much he loves your breasts.  If he hasn't, ask him!  I can't tell you what a difference it makes when you ask your hubby something rather than assuming you know what he thinks!  The other day I laid down on the bed and asked my hubby, "Which is sexier?" and I kept giving him choices of how I could pose for him.  Can I just tell you that I got a huge ego boost.  Asking the hubby specific questions gave him the opportunity to tell me exactly what he likes.  Whether you're married or not, though, the best way to feel good about your bust is to wear the right bra.  If you go to a department store you can get measured, or if you're more comfortable you can measure yourself.  Buying the right bra will help you feel good about how you look.
Hips - - If you feel like your hips are too big, the key is to not draw attention to them.  You can learn a lot about how to dress appropriately based on your body type using this book.  Until you get that book, when you choose your clothes, try to find shirts that go below your pants line.  Don't wear skinny jeans.  Use belts to keep those pants up!
Butt - - That book will also help you if you have problems with your butt.  Here's my suggestion for you if you think your butt is too big or too skinny or too bony or whatever... wear sexy panties!  As long as they are the right size, you'll feel better about yourself!
Belly - - Okay, can I just say that the book Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad is an awesome book??  Read it!!  But until then, let yourself feel like your belly is sexy.  Often our husbands think that our bellies are sexy simply because they are imperfect.  Our imperfections do two things: 1) They make us unique.  2) They show our hubbies that they don't have to be perfect, which makes them feel sexier.  Try this product for when you're going out, and remember that you're sexier without it.
Thighs - - Yup, that book is for your thighs too!  Dressing to fit your body type makes a world of difference.  Here's your first job, though - get rid of all your skinny jeans and get some tailored jeans.
Calves - -
Feet - - If you feel like your feet are too big, find shoes that are more delicate and dainty.  Wear flare jeans.  If you feel like your feet are too small, wear jeggings and flats or normal jeans and some clunkier shoes.  If you have trouble with foot odor, there are products that can help you with that!
Hands - - Wear rings!  Do your nails!
Arms - - Choose arm lengths that are flattering on you and that you feel comfortable with.
Height - - That book I keep talking about will address height and how to dress and accesorize properly based on your height.  Bottom line, if you're tall, use big accessories and if you're short use smaller accessories.  If you are short, you can always wear heels, but I would encourage you to embrace your height.  If you're tall, embrace it and enjoy all the things you can do that short women can't!
Teeth - - I have always thought that unique smiles are the prettiest.  When I was in high school I got braces, and I hated them with every fiber of my being.  I felt like they drew attention to my already ugly smile.  I was so excited to get them off, and I wore my retainer for a while.  But then I got married and I didn't want to wear the retainer at night any more, so I stopped.  My teeth moved a little bit since then.  I have to tell you - - I love my smile now!  All I need is for them to be white and healthy, and I'm happy with the crooked teeth because they make me unique.
Wardrobe - - Choose clothes that fit you well.  Choose clothes that you feel comfortable in.  Choose clothes that you will wear over and over again.  There is no need to have lots of clothes in your wardrobe, you just need layerable clothes.

Once you have finished making changes in the way you see yourself, get some professional photos taken of yourself and your family!  Trust me, when you get the pictures back, you'll be able to see yourself through another pair of eyes.

If you want to take an extreme step in changing the way you see yourself, check out this opportunity put forth by Christian author Shari Braendel.  If Beauty Boot Camp is too expensive for you, check out her book Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad.

 

 

Like what you read?  Leave me a comment!

See my past posts about this topic here:

You Are Beautiful #1: Surround Yourself with the Truth

You Are Beautiful #2: Post Verses About Your Beauty Around Your House

 



You Are Beautiful #2: Post Verses About Your Beauty Around Your House

This post is the second in the series about the beautiful woman, inspired by the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldgredge.  If you haven't read the book, do it!  If you haven't read the first post, here it is.

We've been talking about the beauty of a woman.  In my first post I talked about surrounding yourself with the truth (that you are wonderfully made).  This second tip for feeling as beautiful as God sees you could go under that same category; because surrounding yourself with the truth is the best way to remember that you are loved.

Here we go:

You are Beautiful #2: Post Verses About Your Beauty Around Your House

 I can't stress enough the importance of memorizing scripture.  A friend of mine actually just wrote a book on the topic.  It just came out, so here's the link to get more info on where you can get it!  The book is called The Word of God: Unleashing the Power of Scripture Memorization by Michele Miner.

 

Here's your assignment for today to remind yourself that you are beautiful.  Get out some index cards, or, if you want to make it look cute, some scrapbooking paper.  Use markers or a printer and write out the verses at the bottom of this post.  Once you have them all written out, put them up on the walls of your home - - on your mirrors, doors, cupboards, dresser, closet... anywhere you'll see them throughout the day!  After a while you'll find yourself reciting the verses automatically when you're feeling down on yourself or in need of God's Word.  Trust me - when done right, this can change your view of yourself as a daughter of God.

 

Here are the wonderful, uplifting verses!  Enjoy, beautiful ladies!

[Verses compiled with help from Focus on the Family and Open Bible]

 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

"And let not your adornment be merely external-- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands." ~ 1 Peter 3:3-5

 

"You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish in you." ~ Song of Songs 4:7

 

"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." ~ Genesis 1:31

 

"Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next." ~ 1 Timothy 4:8

 

"I  praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." ~ Psalm 139:14

 

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life." ~ Proverbs 31:10

 

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

"You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace." ~ Song of Solomon 4:9

 

"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." ~ Romans 8:6

 

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." ~ Proverbs 31:25

 

Like what you read? Leave me a comment!
See my next post about this topic - - soon to come!
You Are Beautiful: #3: Make a Change

You Are Beautiful #1: Surround Yourself with the Truth

That's something that we as women don't hear enough.  Or, if we do hear it, we don't believe it.

I have struggled with this problem a moderate amout throughout my life.  Probably about the same as any average woman does.  I have asked the question, "Am I beautiful?"  And the followup that always goes with it, "What can I do to become beautiful?"  Beauty is a hot spot for women.  Why?  Because we were created to be beautiful.  I have recently started reading the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldgredge.  Oh - my - word... this book is amazing!  I bawled my way through the first chapter, as I realized what a beautiful woman I was (and we all are) created to be.  The authors discuss how we are all made in the image of God (which, if I may say, I always thought was an elementary concept for those of us who were raised in the church - - until I read this book and began to understand the depth of that statement).  God created women because the man didn't completely encompass who God is.  The man shows God's strength and power.  The woman, though, reflects God's relation.  We, as women, are relational beings.  We long for love and for someone to pursue us.  We long to be beautiful.  And that's exactly what we are!  God created us to reflect His beauty.  Whether you are tall, short, skinny, fat, bony, bulky - - God created your body, your face, your voice - - to reflect His beauty.

Here's the problem with beauty: we are told by the world that beauty means something entirely different than it does.  Beauty is actually an aspect of God - - a reflection of God.  Women are a reflection of God's beauty.  Somewhere down the road, the media took over and completely changed the way we view beauty.  Guess what?  They're wrong!  So, here are some ways to feel beautiful.  This is a series of posts about beauty, and how to remember that you are a beautiful woman of God.

Before I start in on tip #1, though, I would like to very, very strongly recomment that you read the book Captivating.  Let me tell you, it will change your life.

Okay, so here it is:

You are Beautiful #1: Surround yourself with the Truth.

This is the number one way to feel beautiful.  The fact of the matter is that you are beautiful as a woman.  It's what God created you to be.  When we surround ourselves with things like the unholy television (shows like Desperate Housewives, Greek, Glee), movies (romantic comedies especially tend to make us feel unloved and unbeautiful), books (romance novels), magazines (the ones like Cosmo, Glamour, InStyle, even Women's Health sometimes), and websites (pornography and even some blogs or YouTube videos) - - we begin to buy in to the idea that the world's ideal woman is the actual ideal woman.  But how do we stop watching television, or reading magazines?  Should we start to live like the Amish and cut ourselves off from our own society?  Certainly not.  Here are some wholesome replacements for those agents of low self-esteem listed above:

Television
...that are almost always good:
The Andy Griffith Show (on Netflix)
The Dick Van Dyke Show (on Netflix)
Best Food Ever (on Netflix)
Mythbusters (on Netflix)
Take Home Chef (on Netflix)
Cake Boss (on Netflix)
America's Funniest Videos (ABC)
Drop Dead Diva (on Netflix and ABC currently)
Extreme Makeover Home Edition (ABC)
Once Upon a Time (on Netflix and ABC currently)
Good Morning America (ABC)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Undercover Boss (CBS)
American Idol
X Factor
Charles in Charge (NBC)
I Love Lucy
Get Smart
The Colony (on Netflix)
...that you should ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM if you have self-esteem issues:
The Bachelor
The Bachlorette
Don't Trust the b- in Apartment 23
Revenge
2 Broke Girls
Days of Our Lives
Big Brother
Jersey Shore

Movies (Note that these movies are not being suggested because they are perfect.  They simply feature women who are confident in who they are not because of how they look, but because they are women created to be beautiful.)

Use this site to help you decide which new movies (newly released and in theaters) are appropriate.  To keep your self-esteem in check, keep an eye on the sexual content portion of the reviews.

Forever Young
White Christmas (on Netflix)
Last Holiday (on Netflix)
The Wedding Planner (on Netflix)
Sleepless in Seattle (on Netflix)
IQ (on Netflix)
My Fair Lady
Paulie (on Netflix)

Books

Use this site to find Christian books that are relevant to you in your journey with Christ!

...to show you that you're beautiful:
Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge**** This book is life-changing!
Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad: A Style Guide for Every Woman by Shari Braendel
Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild by Mary A. Kassain (I haven't read it yet)
Lies Young Women Believe: And the Truth that sets them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Dannah Gresh (I haven't read it yet)
Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge
Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs by Emmerson Eggriches
Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
...to replace those romantic novels:
Almost anything by Jodi Piccoult
Anything by Francine Rivers - - but here are some specifics:
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
A Lineage of Grace: Five Stories of Unlikely Women who Changed Eternity by Francine Rivers (I haven't read it yet)
The Lineage of Grace Series by Francine Rivers (Recommended to me by a friend - I haven't read them yet)
Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix (and the sequel Palace of Mirrors)
Emma by Jane Austen
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (I haven't read, but have watched the movies)
...to read for fun, without risk of upsetting your identity in Christ
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
The Giver by Lois Lowry (I haven't read it yet)
Anything by Mark Twain
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom (I haven't read it yet, but it was recommended to me by a friend)
Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado (and anything else by Max Lucado)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Magazines [this section written with some help from About.com Christianity]
The Knot (for engaged couples) - Not a Christian mag to my knowledge
The Nest (for married couples) - Not a Christian mag to my knowledge
Today's Christian Woman
Just Between Us
Christianity Today
Relevant Magazine (for 20-something's)
Charisma
CMM (Christian music magazine)

Websites
Christian Websites [a compilation of Christian websites]
Crosswalk
The Peaceful Mom
The Dating Divas [ideas for date night!]
The Money Saving Mom [money saving ideas and some Christian inspiration]
Rags and Riches [my blog... of course!]

Go be your beautiful self!  And come back for more tips soon.

 

Like what you read?  Leave me a comment!

See my next post about this topic - - soon to come!
You Are Beautiful: #2 Post verses about your beauty around your house

Blessings from Blessings?

What did you get for Christmas?

I've been thinking about the few things I received from family and friends: a small journal, several games, restaurant gift cards, candy, and a CD.  (I got more gifts than these, but these are the few that fit in with this post.)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10

I believe strongly in using what God has blessed me with to bless others.  Christmas gifts fall under this category.  So I've been thinking, how can I use what the Lord has blessed me with to touch others for His kingdom?  Here's what I came up with:

CD - - I got a Toby Mac CD (a Christian artist).  I plan to use this to bless my family by playing Christian music more often, and Netflix less.  This will help us to keep our focus on the Savior all day long, and when we do that, we'll be more of a blessing to others in our everyday lives.

Small Journal - - I. LOVE. JOURNALS!!  That's probably why I get at least one each year for Christmas and my birthday.  The problem is figuring out what I want to use each journal for.  I decided that this one, since it is so small, will be for logging my blog ideas.  So often I think of something I want to write about, then by the time I sit down at the computer I can't remember what it was!  Hopefully when I plan out my posts a little better, this blog will start to be a blessing to people.

Games - - We love board games, and have quite the collection.  When people come over, that's what we do.  We'll share our new games (as well as our old ones) with people and have some fun with them.

Gift Cards - - My husband and I have been trying to get to know people from our church more, so we invited some people out to dinner.  With these gift cards, it allows us to treat - - even when we have no money!  I just love blessing people in this way.

Candy - - Okay, fine... I'll share with my husband ;)

What did you get for Christmas?  How can you use it to be a blessing to someone?