Better Eating...

Ok, I have a confession to make. Since couponing (which is a truly wonderful thing), I have really neglected good, healthy meals for me and my family and I think we ALL have been suffering for it.
Well, no more - and last night was the perfect start to eating right and using my meal-planning and couponing together to make the best, most healthy meals I can make for my family.
For starters we had a really yummy Strawberry Spinach salad with poppy seed dressing (Thanks Jess Fragile for that one!)
The main course included salmon with fire-roasted tomatoes, a splash of sherry cooking wine and some onions and dill on top -- umm, super yum! Spanish yellow rice, and some green beans to compliment and voila - a perfect meal.
I know it may sound silly to some but for the first time in quite a while, I felt like I did something good for my family. It was not just a thrown-together type of meal but a wonderful, sit-down, healthy meal. This is what I love doing and I have truly missed it. When it was all said and done, a little wink and a hug from my hubby and 2 little kids with big smiles on their faces saying "this is delicious" was all the thanks I needed.
Oh and I must give a shout out to my sweet daughter Kira who very much helped with this wonderful dinner -- thank you my sweet little girl for your precious help! I love doing things with you!!

Are You a Living Sacrifice?

This man and his family gave up all they had and went to live in the slums to reach others for Jesus Christ - What are we willing to give up out of our abundance for the cause of the Gospel??? Would it be a dinner out, a Starbucks coffee in the morning, cable TV, a night out at the movies...? We never pray and ask God if we should go out to dinner, buy some new clothes, buy a newer car, but somehow when it comes to missions and the things of God, we have to pray and see if God wants us to help. We do not need to pray about the things that God has already told us we are here on earth to complete in His name. Take a step of faith and reach out to save the lost world as we are commanded to do.
What are you willing to give up for the One that has given His life for you? Would it be $10, $20, or more a month to help us get to Gospel for Asia and reach those who have never heard the name of Jesus?
Please take time to team up with us in the work God is doing to reach the lost world by clicking here or you can pledge to support us without having to send any money until we actually arrive at Gospel For Asia by contacting us or calling 800-946-2742 and letting them know you want to pledge to support us. Our staff account number is: 6334.

Struggling but why????

I have been struggling for a couple of weeks now. For those that don't know, Dave had surgery and has been recovering for the last 4 weeks or so. That was not why I struggled but I must admit, I was not the caring wife I should have been. Too many times, I was frustrated at how his pain was affecting me. I was more focused on me being tired and having to be mom and dad than on my husband who was going through a really rough time. To make it even harder, even though Dave was in severe pain, God was using it to draw him closer to Him. Not that that is a bad thing by any means but I kept wondering why.... why was I being short, why was I feeling down and miserable, why is our support not being raised as quick as I want it to, why was I struggling to trust God for ALL things, why was I not "feeling" close to Him, why does He allow things to happen that put "our" plans on hold...
Hmm, sounds pretty selfish, doesn't it? All of the thoughts I was having were about me - what I could gain, what I could feel, what could happen for me. Then it hit me...
My time with the Lord was really limited for those weeks - I was not reading my Bible as much, I was not in prayer with my Savior. I was focused on me :(
It amazes me how so many times in my life, I have lost my focus, lost my first love -- not that I am not in awe of a God who has saved me from the pit and despair of Hell, but that I have not given Him first place in my life - in ALL things.
This week has been different for me. God is working in our lives in amazing ways! And you know what, I have been renewed and refreshed from my time with God.
I want to encourage you as well as keep a remembrance for me that our time with God needs to be our absolute #1 priority - our thought as we wake up should be how thankful we are to live another day to serve the One who gave His life for us! I want to hunger and thirst for God - I want to have a yearning so intense that I am not able to function without first spending time with my Savior. I truly want God to permeate my every being and be the woman, wife, mother, missionary, and child that He wants me to be!

Being a better steward!!

I know this may be a crazy post to some but can I just tell you how much I love couponing (is that really a word) and saving money? It is true. A few friends of mine have totally encouraged me in this and it is wonderful to be able to save our family money. I believe this will help us a ton when we go to Gospel for Asia and will have to be on a much stricter budget. I also believe God wants us to be better stewards of our money (1 Corinthians 4:2 - Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy). After all it is God's money to begin with :).
A few of the ways I save is by going to CVS, shopping sales, and using lots (and I mean lots) of coupons!! I love CVS - I don't think I have paid more than maybe a couple dollars at CVS in months with their extra care bucks. To pay full-price for toothpaste to me is unheard of :)! I also use coupons and watch for items on sale - do you know there are times that stores will actually pay you back money for buying an item? For example, let's say that toothpaste is on sale at CVS for $3.79 with getting $3.79 in extra care bucks back plus you can use a manufacturer coupon (which I had for $1.00 off) so in essence I just got paid $1.00 for buying toothpaste :)
Also, this week Harris Teeter had super doubles which means they doubled all coupons with a face value of $1.98 or less -- ummm, WooHoo!! Here is a pic of my deals - cereal for $0.25 - yes, you read that right a quarter!! All of this that is in the picture I got for $42 - and that included 3lbs of sausage as well as some fresh kale!!
So yes, I am loving this and am so grateful to be a good steward as God has called us all to be!!

The Other Side of Me

If they were to write about
The story of my life
They would have to mention you
With every page they'd write
There's another side to every story told
If I were the ocean
You would be the shore
And one without the other one
Would be needing something more
We are the shadow and the light

Chorus:
Always love me
(and) never leave me now
(and) now you are the other side of me
Always love me
(and) never leave me now
(and) now you are the other side of me

I have known the emptiness
Of feeling out of touch
And living life without you here
Would be living half as much
Cause I've a need that only you can fill

If love was mathematical
You'd understand the sum
To the heart's equation
Where one and one makes one
And lonely equals me minus you

Words and music by Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick

Dave is my partner, my best friend, and my love but he is truly so much more than that. As God puts it so awesomely in His amazing word - we are one flesh! He really is the other side of me!! Occasionally Dave will surprise me and sing this song and it truly melts my heart!! I thank God for this man constantly!!

10 years have flown by...

Andrew turned 10 on February 4th and to be honest, it truly made me a little emotional. I have been thinking about him growing up a lot lately as things start to change on and in him. To me, he is my first baby, the one I prayed for and the one that I was in awe with those first few hours, amazed at God's creation of him. To think of him as a young man is really quite surreal and yet, that is what happens - we get older. It's hard to imagine him being a teenager or in high school, and then on to college or where ever else God may lead him and don't even get me started on girls and marriage - uggghhh :P. I guess it's true, he will always be my little boy no matter how old he gets. It is my prayer for this amazing little boy of mine as he grows older that he would hold tight to the faith and values that we have instilled in him and to love God with all his heart, soul, and mind and keep Him first in his life. Until then, I will enjoy more precious moments as I get to hold on to him for at least a few more years. Enjoy some moments of the last 10 years with Andrew!!

Hives, Hives, and More Hives...

Poor Andrew!! He came in from playing outside on Sunday and told me he had a few bumps on his side. I looked at it and sure enough they were hives. It was warm out so I asked him if he had been on the grass at all - he said yes and I just assumed it was a result of that. Everything was fine but Monday night he said, "Mom, those hives are back". Sure enough it was true. I had given him some Benadryl and sent him to bed. After about 30 minutes, I told Dave "oh my goodness, maybe Andrew is allergic to the Tamiflu." He woke up Tuesday morning and didn't say anything was bothering him and went to school. After school, he came in and said "Mom, the hives are back and they are really big." I looked at him and about had a heart-attack. He had the largest hives/welts all over his back, his arms, some on his belly, and a couple on his face. I asked him if he was breathing ok and he said he was. I immediately called the pediatrician and took him right in. I kept asking him if he had eaten anything different at school. He kept saying "no". The pediatrician looked at him, asked if we had done or eaten anything different and I told him he was started on Tamiflu on Friday when his sister tested positive for the flu. Sure enough he said that Andrew was allergic to the Tamiflu and told us to never have him take it again. Ummm, duh - sorry, a little sarcasm :P
Anyway, we came home and started Andrew on a Benadryl and Allegra course and by the next morning they were gone. Unfortunately the doctor did tell us they could come and go for up to 6 weeks and sure enough they were back last night - not as bad, but they were back. I am so glad God protected him and it was not more serious affecting his breathing or anything like that.
Here are some crazy pictures of my poor boy and his hives.