Amazing Timing

Beth Moore's challenge to Scripture memorization came at just the right point in my life.  The verses I've been working on read like a journal of the last 3 months of my life.  Each one that I committed to my heart because God told me to had an Immediate effect.  Let's take a few for instances:

Deut 8:2-3 You shall remember the whole (long)  way I have led you these 40 years through the wilderness... I have humbled you and let you hunger that I might feed you with manna that you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that you might know that man does not live by bread alone but by the very word that comes from the Lord. (ESV)

This verse spoke to me because, for those of you who followed our possible move to Spain last year, I've been feeling like we're in the long way to getting to where we're going.  I did not realize that we were about to enter possibly a time of hunger.  I started memorizing this verse 24 hours before Larry found out that his work situation had changed.  We've been blessed with work opportunities in the meantime and are still being fed with manna that we have not known nor have our parents known.  We're living more and more securely on God's word for sure.  It was amazing the joy that this verse caused me to receive Larry's news with.  I knew immediately that the Lord would be providing manna for us.  It is not in my human nature to receive such unknowing well, but the Lord had already provided for me with hope in this verse.

Move onto the next one.  We have been claiming the promise of Proverbs 19:21 over our lives.  I went to Beth's site with a completely different verse in mind, but the first posting was this verse by someone else who's participating in the challenge.  I can see so much hope in this verse: for those who are always making plans, but rarely see them come to fruition; for those who like to plan but are discouraged from doing so by those who glorify the gypsy life; for those who do not yet know what direction God is leading them in.  Hear these words and receive the full satisfaction God provides in this manna:

Many are the plans in a man heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. (NIV) (or check out the NASB)

One of my core group girls had the greatest image of this: our plans are like seeds that we spread over the ground.  Some will grow, and we will know them to be in the Lord's purpose as they grow firmly.  Sometimes we will not see a plant grow from any of the seeds that we plant, but we may see the most beautiful flower grow out of the same land.  This is the Lord's purpose amongst our planning.  Be encouraged that he has good plans for you!  With a hope and with a future.

The current verse is Psalm 37:23-24.  I pray that I can claim this assurance, that God will make our steps secure and catch us when we stumble on this next path of ours.

A man's steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way.  Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the Lord holds his hand. (HCSB)

I would love to hear what Scripture God has or is speaking to you.  I would encourage you to memorize this.  Not for the sake of the memorization exercise, but that it might be written on our hearts and brought to mind when we need it.  Blessings on your time with the Word.

Groceries & Saving Money

Playing a silly game of The Price Is Right with baked goods at a wedding shower this weekend, I realized that I really do pay a lot of attention to the dollars and cents of grocery items I purchase. I thought in this economic time, I might share a bit of my border-line obsessive-compulsive, Type-A, obnoxiously organized, weekly grocery shopping ritual. Perhaps it will serve to give ideas about how to conserve when grocery shopping or, at the very least, amuse you in how ridiculous my procedure is. So, for better or worse and those in between, here's the ritual.

1. Planning at least 1 week in advance, I write down days and meals in a row like:

M L (Monday Lunch)

D

T L

D (Tuesday Dinner)

2. Thinking through any items that I might have in my fridge/freezer and favorite recipes, and I fill in the meals accordingly. I usually have notes about things like-- potluck breakfast at work.

3. I go through my most recent copies of Real Simple, Cooking Light, or my favorite- MyRecipes.com to fill in the gaps. Sticking to one culture of cooking keeps your ingredient list down-- like Mexican, Oriental, Italian, etc. Make 1 batch of meat sauce that'll get you through the week or stretch 1 can of black beans over a couple days. No wasted food!

4. As I write down recipes, I'm writing down what ingredients I know I need, listed by aisles at the local grocery store to make shopping a bit easier.

What I end up with is this (this week is boring b/c we're working off a bunch of bulk from our Costco and Trader Joe's trips in Nashville last weekend-- whoohoo!)

M L chicken caesar salad and hummus (leftovers from Sunday D)

D chicken ravioli & salad

T L leftovers (or lunch at the House) only $2!

D chicken parmesan pasta

W L chicken parmesan pasta

D tilapia, wild rice, green beans (frozen, Trader Joe's)

T L frozen mini tacos (Trader Joe's strikes again)

You get the idea. Doing it this way, we only spent $20 on groceries for the week granted we did have chicken, fish and tacos in the freezer. But on a weekly basis we spend around $75 for 2 of us. I hope that helps!

I would love to know your top grocery money saving tip!!