My God Shall Supply All My Needs

Welcome back!

It is a verse I’ve read many times,

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19 KJV

No matter how many times I’ve read it, I must admit I have still found myself questioning it, still sitting at my desk adding the numbers and trying to make them work myself. Even though I’ve seen more times than not in my 10 years of marriage where God has done his “miracle math” supplying all our needs.

Tonight God supplied one of his “miracles” for us, it may not seem like or sound like a miracle when you here it but to me it was… tonight as we were leaving to go with my in-laws to eat pizza for my daughter’s birthday (she’ll be 3 on Tuesday) our van wouldn’t start. My husband immediately thought it was the battery. We had my father-in-law give us a boost and on the way for pizza we went to Auto Zone for a battery.

“How much will this cost?” I inquired of my husband on the way, he mentioned we had gotten the battery not even 3 years ago when our van had the same mishap just before a family vacation. I remembered and we talked about how short of a life the battery had lived.

We arrived at the Auto Zone, my husband went inside and soon came back out motioning for me to pull up to the front of the store. The worker was with him toolbox in one hand, new battery in the other. I yelled out the door to my husband, “do you need my checkbook?” He replied, “Shouldn’t.” I didn’t say anything but wondered. Then he informed me that the battery was under warranty.

When he got in I was whooping and hollering we had just gotten a new battery for —– $0 thanks to the warranty and to “my God for supplying all my needs.” AMEN.

Living Inexpensively in an Expensive World

Let’s face it, in today’s economy it is an understatement to say that “living is expensive”. Just recently, my husband and I did our budget trying to determine ways to save and ways to pay down debt. The way that we worked the budget this time around, we discovered that his entire paycheck goes to “necessities”, mortgage, insurance, groceries, gasoline, propane, electricity, water, sewer, you get the point. Next to none of his paycheck is left for “extras” or for “debt reduction”. That’s where my income comes in.

That’s also where living “inexpensively” or frugally comes in. I have tried many times to be “more frugal”. Sometimes, I have succeeded, but sometimes I’ve failed miserably. I think the important thing is that I “try”. I have always been taught to be a good steward of what I have. I believe all that we have comes from God and as a result we are responsible to Him for what we do or do not do with what He gives us. As a result, I am always one to be a wise spender. I meal plan, I dabble in couponing, and I shop the clearance racks. In fact, most of my clothes have been obtained either as gifts at Christmas or my birthday, or from clearance racks or even “hand-me-downs”. Yes, I’m fortunate to receive those from close friends, both for myself and my children.

I don’t feel by doing this that I am “slighted” in life in anyway, in fact the opposite is true, I feel blessed to have the things that I do have, and I am always looking for ways to “save”. Many times, the opportunity to live inexpensively is a bit easier to do than you think. You’ll find “savings” opportunities in the strangest of places if you just take the time to see what’s already there to begin with, you may not “need” the things that you so desperately “wish” that you could have.

Living Inexpensively or at least “less expensive” is doable in this expensive world.

This post if for the contest being held here.

The ALL You Grocery Challenge

You know I love a good challenge, therefore I am participating in the ALL You Grocery Challenge. I signed up over a week ago, and they are no longer taking sign ups (sorry), but the challenge is to spend $25 or less per person in your family for 4 weeks for groceries (food) beginning July 13.

I thought this challenge would actually be a teeny bit easy for me, because

1. The challenge to spend $25 per family member does NOT include household supplies, diapers or other toiletries, just food.
2. I currently spend less than this amount, a total of $125 for my family of 5 on all the aforementioned items and food. So, I thought “This should be easy!”

In fact, the only part that will be challenging for us is that the contest DOES include any $ you spend eating out.  In fact, the first night of the challenge I decided to go get pizza, but I still think I’ll be ok.

This first week, additional “possible” challenges were that I am having my son a birthday party this weekend, my baby boy turned one yesterday, and we are having Revival at church this week and must prepare 2 potluck dishes.

Nevertheless I pressed on to meet the goals of the challenge.  Yesterday, I went grocery shopping.  I spent a grand total of $86.29, pair that with my $20.32 for pizza on Monday and this week I have spent a grand total of:  $106.61

That is still under the $125 limit for my family with some $$ to spare.  So, though I have no more plans to shop before next week, if it happens I am safe.

Please, continue to check back often to read about my progress.  Did I mention I will win $1000 in Groceries if I am one of 10 lucky winners from the challenge?  Oh! and a years supply of Knorr’s Side Items.  I love those!

Next Page »