A Money Saving Blog

I have spent countless hours pouring over Crystal's new Blog Money Saving Mom it is amazing, informative and exciting to hear what Crystal and other women are doing to help be more efficient with the family income. YOU MUST TAKE A LOOK AND SEE!!!!

No way.....

I am not sure how they determine this but I am sure that someone MUST be mistaken :-)

Beginning Again...

It's been about 3 months and so much has happened since I've last posted. I've been away but I have not forgotten about you "Blog." I have many things to share and also to apologize for. Please be patient with me a little while longer. I will be back soon. God bless.

William Wilberforce

"When religion is handed down among us by hereditary succession, it is not surprising to find youth of sense and spirit beginning to question the truth of the system in which they were brought up. And it is not surprising to see them abandon a position that they are unable to defend. Knowing Christianity chiefly by its difficulties and the impossibilities falsely imputed to it, they fall perhaps into the company of unbelievers..."

This quote came from A Complete Thought dated 7/18/07, a blog I read on a regular basis. It was originally quoted from an article written in American Vision Biblical Worldview magazine (Vol 23, #4, April 2007).

This quote makes me think of my children, actually children in the church. Especially those going away to colleges (non-Christian colleges) . "When religion is handed down among us by hereditary succession, it is not surprising to find youth of sense and spirit beginning to question the truth of the system in which they were brought up." I see this more then I care to admit especially with those young people who are graduation from High School and beginning a new journey in their lives. Our relationship with God can never be by hereditary succession. It can never be something handed down to us from our parents like an old photo album. It must be real. If it is not real, we will not be able to stand.

I pray that my son and many of his friends as well have been developing their own relationships with the Lord these many years.This will enable them to stand up in the face of the many challenges they will face in their colleges and their day to day lives. It is our responsibility as parents to teach them what they need wile they are young and throughout their lives under our roof. I pray that we have done that.

Menu Plan Monday

• Monday - Chicken Parm & Spaghetti
  
• Tuesday - Grilled Sandwiches with Chips
• Wednesday - Egg Casserole with Toast
• Thursday - Bacon Cheeseburgers with Oven Fries
• Friday - Old Faithful, Pizza

The recipe that I'm highlighting today is not in my Mon-Fri list. It's something we had on Sunday; my family enjoys it a lot and it's so easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Chops:

5 Bone in Pork Chops
18 ounce bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce
I Medium Onion
2 Tablespoons water

Put Slices onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place Pork Chops on top of Onions. Pour BBQ sacue obver Pork Chops and add the water. Cook 3-4 hours on HIGH or 7-8 hours on LOW.

It is amazing and so easy. Have a great week.

Letting Go, Part 1

Thank you to Amy at Amy's Humble Musings for sharing her heart with us. Finding a new home can be both exciting and heartbreaking, but knowing the Giver of all things brings us peace. We are hoping to move into a 3 bedroom townhouse in New Jersey at the end of August. We need to move to New Jersey because my husband drives 2-2 1/2 hours each way every day for work. At this time we are not ready to buy a home. First, we must be approved for this townhouse based on my husbands salary and our credit. Our credit has been an issue since we were married 5 years ago. Each of us bringing the consequences of our own actions into our marriage. Needless to say it has been very hard to fix the past while maintaining a household and taking care of 2 children. It sometimes feels as if we will never be free of it.

Amy quotes Elisabeth Elliot, “I had been praying for something I wanted very badly. It seemed a good thing to have, a thing that would make life even more pleasant than it is, and would not in any way hinder my work. God did not give it to me. Why? I do not know all of his reasons, of course. The God who orchestrates the universe has a good many things to consider that have not occurred to me, and it is well that I leave them to Him. But one thing I do understand: He offers me holiness at the price of relinquishing my own will.”

When I read this quote it occurred to me; we may be rejected for this town house; it may be because our credit is still not good enough (though it is better then it was 5 years ago). I will be disappointed, and I will be frustrated if that happens, but as Elisabeth Elliot said,..."my god offers me holiness at the price of relinquishing my own will." I thank him for that. I want to relinquish my own will in this matter. Doing all that I can to correct my many mistakes and then resting in Him. Every major change that we have gone through has been difficult if not almost impossible. But each time God has provided us a way, His Way. Thank you Lord for your mercy.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 1 Peter 1:3-4

Walking through the Book of Ecclesiastes

I was reading the blog Seasonings of the Heart July 6th, 2007; Rosemary writes a quote from Spurgeon:

No human mind can adequately estimate the infinite value of the divine sacrifice, for although the sin of God’s people is great, the atonement that takes it away is immeasurably greater. Therefore, even when sin rolls in like a flood, and the remembrance of the past is bitter, the believer can still stand before the blazing throne of the great and holy God and cry, “Who is to condemn: Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised.” While the recollection of the believers sin fills him with shame and sorrow, its very darkness serves to show the brightness of mercy; guilt is the dark night in which the fair star of divine love shines with serene splendor. –Charles H. Spurgeon

We are going through the book of Ecclesiastes in Sunday School. This is my first time going through this book as a study; I am very excited. As we read through the book, there is a tendecy to think that it if rather depressing. Please don't. Here these words: its very darkness serves to show the brightness of mercy...This made me think about our study. The very darkness that this book contains serves to show us " the brightness of Gods mercy." The truth is we need to see this mans journey through darkness. Every doubt, every frustration was a step ordained by God to lead this man. Our lives are no different. Every step through darkness allows us to see the brightness of God's mercy over our lives. It may not be easy and most times it's not, but we have a father in heaven who knows what we need and what is best for us. We trust our journey to him.