For His Sake

Tonight is the eighth and final night of Hanukkah. It's my favorite night, the menorah looks so pretty with all nine branches lit and glowing. We turned out the lights and sat for a few moments, looking at the burning candles and contemplating...

I noticed something in scripture today that I've never noticed before. In Isaiah 43:25, it states this, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

"...for mine own sake..." Did you catch that part? Blotting out transgressions and not remembering sins seems like something that would definitely benefit me. But here it says that it's not for my sake, it's for His.

He loved us when we were unlovable.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

For His own sake.


Amazing love.

Merry Chrisamerry!

One of the kids in my extended family used to say "Merry Chrisamerry!" with much joy and enthusiasm when she was little. Those days are long gone, but I still love the abondonment to the season that this symbolizes to me.

So, along with my prayers for each of you to have a wonderful holiday, filled with love and joy, I also wish to you and yours....

MERRY CHRISAMERRY!

_________________________

Last Minute? It's Not Too Late!

It's not too late to get a gift card from Amazon.com! Did you know that you can print your own gift card? Or even email it to someone? So it's still not too late if you have that certain someone that you just haven't found the right gift for; or maybe you need just a little something extra for someone.

Click the icon or link above, and see what options are right for you!

Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

The Light of the World

• And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch (John 10: 22-23)

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication.

Almost two hundred years before the time of Christ, Israel was in crisis. The once united kingdom of Alexander the Great had fallen into the hands of four successors, and Judea was caught in a power-play tug-of-war between two rival factions for quite some time. Under the rule finally of the Seluceans/Syrians, Israel was forced into assimilation into the dominate Greek culture. The temple was desecrated, and it was forbidden to teach their children the basics of their religion and culture.

A small town priest name Matthias, and his sons, the most famous of which is Judah, the Maccabee (hammer), staged a rebellion that sparked an overthrow; and freedom, for a time at least, to practice their religion and exercise their faith.

When the time came to cleanse the temple and restore the worship rituals ordained by God, they were unable to find enough of the special, pure oil used to light the seven-branched lamp, or menorah, that illuminated the holy place. While they embarked on the eight-day process to make more of this special oil, they decided to go ahead and use the one-day supply of oil that they had, so the people could see that the temple was back in use. By a miracle of God, the oil lasted for the complete eight days, and the rededication of the temple was completed

A special nine-branched menorah is used during Hanukkah, to commemorate the miracle that took place when the Temple was rededicated and restored to proper use. Each night the middle candle, the shamus, or servant candle, is used to light the other candles-one candle on the first night, two on the second, and on through the eight candles that are lit on the last night.

"And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch" (John 10: 22-23)
The "feast of the dedication" referred to here is Hanukkah; and Solomon's porch was the colonnade that lit up during the feast with a number of special, oversized menorahs. It was during this time that Jesus openly acknowledged that He was, indeed, the Christ.

Hanukkah means a lot of things to a lot of people. For some, it's a cultural holiday, for some, a religious one. As a believer in Yeshua Ha'mashiech, Jesus the Messiah, Hanukkah speaks to me on several different levels. First as a commemoration of the miracle that took place, and also to acknowledge that miracles do happen, but they happen in God's timing and at His discretion, not ours. Secondly, as a time for personal reflection and dedication. And lastly, to commemorate the coming of the Light of the World.

This season as you celebrate Hanukkah, for whatever reason; may the peace of God shine round about you and yours.

Until next time...

My Husband Likes Crunchy Peanut Butter

• The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
• She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Today I went back to our small town Walmart to buy more groceries. We haven't been home in three months, so I'm out of everything here. Last time we were home, I threw out a lot of old things from the back of the cabinets, and took a lot of current items to Georgia with me. It takes a lot to restock a pantry and fridge from nothing, so I was buying an extraordinary amount of food.

As I walked up and down the aisles, looking at prices and brands, I tried to make it a point to buy some items that my husband is especially fond of.

For instance, my husband likes crunchy peanut butter. I prefer Jif smooth, he likes the crunchy. I bought both today.

He likes bean dip--I think it's only purpose is a supporting role in 7-layer Fiesta dip. But I bought bean dip.

I bought his favorite cereal, some coffee and coffee supplies (not a coffee drinker, myself) and some other snack items that I know he likes.

I know it may seem like kind of a stretch to connect the verses above with what you buy at the grocery store, but do you honor your husband's taste and preferences in food and other everyday necessities of life?

I'm not talking about making him a king and the rest of the family servants. No need to feed him steak while the rest of you eat beans. (Unless you like beans!)

I knew a gal once who split a can of soup with her two kids everyday for lunch so they could afford nicer food for her husband. She and her girls drank kool-aid so she could buy soda for him. She did without in every area, so he wouldn't be discontent with what he had. The clincher for me was the time he asked her to wash clothes in the bathtub so they could take their laundromat money and order pizza, because he didn't like what she had in the house to eat. Personally, I thought she was nuts.

If you de-value yourself over and over again, eventually everyone around you will assume that you aren't worth much.

That is NOT what I'm writing about.

Those of us who are married to good, solid, self-sacrificing men, need to make sure that we don't take that for granted. We may not be able to afford lavish spending, in grocery or any other area, but that doesn't mean that we can't take the time to honor our husband's likes and dislikes to the extent that we as a family can afford to do so.

My husband doesn't like chicken and dumplings, which is one of my personal frugal favorites. Does that mean that I never make chicken and dumplings? No. It just means that I make sure I have leftover potroast for him. Or something else that he likes. (He'd rather just eat oatmeal for supper than chicken and dumplings, and sometimes, he does!)

My husband is such a good person, and sometimes I don't think I appreciate him enough. But today, in my small way, I made sure he knew that I thought enough about him to get him some of his favorite small pleasures. Crunchy peanut butter. Bean dip. Summer sausage and cheese log. Coffee.

Such a small way to say, "I love you".

Until next time...

There's No Place Like Home

I'm home!

Home, for me, is rural small town in Louisiana. It's not a tiny town as some would say, but still small town enough that you see people you know or at least recognize almost anyplace you go.

Our house is in the country, it once belonged to my grandparents. We have no dishwasher, no garbage disposal, not a whole lot of cabinet or countertop space in the kitchen. No cable tv or highspeed internet. We do have satellite for the tv, but we aren't home enough to warrant satellite internet, so it's dial-up for me for the next couple of weeks, unless I take my lap-top to town and find a wi-fi spot. (I think there are two, one at the library and the other at a local coffee shop.) My house tends to be cold in the winter and hot in the summer. None of the floors or the carpet match. It gets a funny smell when we haven't been for a while. My mattress is lumpy. We need to replace the tub surround. I took my best pots to Georgia with me, so I'll be cooking with the leftovers for the next two weeks.

This town has Walmart, and two grocery stores from a regional chain; no national grocery chains. We did get a new Walgreens a year or two ago. No CVS or Rite Aid, or any major retailers to speak of.

But it's home.

I had to make a quick run to the grocery store to get a few things; we haven't been here for awhile so my cupboards were bare. (Almost literally). Prices are higher here. The store doesn't double or triple coupons except on very special occasions. But the gal who checked me out knows me. I went to high school with her younger sister, and we used to go to the same church.

On the way home from the store, I was able to get gumbo for lunch. From the drive-through.

My momma cooked supper for us last night, and invited us for leftovers again tonight.

It's good to be home.

Tomorrow I'm going to take my mom to Walgreens and show her the ropes about stacking coupons and applying for rebates, then we may hit Walmart and see what bargains we can find there. Next week we may venture out to find the closest CVS--I think there's one in a town about 50 miles south of here.

Oh, yeah, that'll be after my sister and one of my nieces comes out and we sort through the bottles of free nail polish I brought home with me from Georgia.

Did I say this already? It's good to be home.

I'll let you know how the bargain shopping goes.


Until next time...
____________________________________

Happy Birthday To Me

It's my birthday, and it's a milestone one, too. I won't say which! To those of you out there who know---shh, don't tell. I really don't think it's right, anyway.

Where did all of those years go? Sometimes I feel like I'm just now hitting my stride of adulthood. My mom should be this age, not me. (She says she feels the same way, too!)

Needless to say, I hope I get many more!

Blessing to everyone, until next time...

Why I Have a Membership at Sams Club

• 
  
  She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar
  

Click 'n' Pull

Recently someone an a 'frugal living' blog was asking who had a Sam's Club membership, and asking if the savings was worth the membership fee. I have to say that for me, the answer is a resounding, "Yes"!

I've shopped at Sam's Clubs for years. When we lived in Alaska, they were cheaper by far than any of the other grocery stores on many items--anyone out there who's ever lived in Alaska, you know how expensive everything is there--at least 50% more than in the lower 48! So when I was looking at available affiliate ads to put on my site, I jumped at the chance to apply for a Sam's ad. And while looking at their on-line shopping, guess what I found? The coolest thing, called, "Click 'n' Pull".

To do "Click 'n' Pull" you have first have a Sam's Club membership, which you can apply for right on-line. If you already have a membership, register your card to set up an on-line account with Sam's. (It takes all of 30 seconds). Locate your Sam's Club by entering in your zip code, and choosing the store you want to use. Then shop the "click and pull" section of Sam's online. Make sure when you add things to your cart that you put what quantity you want. Then check out with your cyber cart (no payment due at that point). Staff at your local Sam's Club will pull your order for you, all you have to do is go the customer service desk and pay for it. They will email you when your order is ready for pick-up, but the website states that if you get your order in by 5:00 p.m. one day, you can pick it up by 7:00 a.m. the next day for a business member, or 9:00 a.m. for an advantage member.

Is that not the coolest thing? Perfect for someone with small kids, or someone who is disabled, or who just doesn't have a lot of free time! I love this idea! I haven't used it yet, but I am definitely going to test it out.

If you'd like to purchase a membership, order something on-line, or do the Click 'n' Pull, clicking through from the ad on the sidebar will help support this site.

And lest you think I only bring up Sam's because of the ad, I've been shopping at Sam's Clubs for years. I got my first Sam's Club membership many years ago, before my son was born (he's 21 now!). I let it lapse for a while, then reapplied, and have had a membership at Sam's since 1991.

When I first got my Sam's membership, I lived about 50 miles away from the nearest Sam's warehouse store, so a trip to Sam's was not a regular part of my grocery shopping, but a "several times a year" stock-up trip. I lived in a small town, and there were two reasons I liked shopping at Sam's. First of all, the prices were decent--maybe not the same as a steeply discounted sale item, but at or slightly below the everyday prices at the local small grocery stores I had regular access to. The second, and for me most important reason to shop at Sam's, is that Sam's stocked items that I just couldn't find in my small town. And what's more, I could afford to stock up. We would take an ice chest, maybe two, and fill it with frozen things, stock up on cereal, peanut butter, canned vegetables, and whatever we could find that I knew I would use regularly. It was not uncommon even then for us to spend $100 a trip at Sam's for our stockpile. (more like $200 now, when we're at home) It still saved us money, though, because our weekly budget was smaller for weeks afterward while we used out of the stockpile .

Another way it saved me money was because it kept me out of the fast food lines after work. Just knowing that I already had what I needed at home to make a meal helped me resist that siren call. Even then, I loved what I call "home cooked" convenience food, and things that helped me make my own home-cooked convenience foods--frozen entrees, boneless skinless chicken, or frozen chubs of ground meat, that I could use to make a good dinner for my family.

My situation is little different right now. I live in a city with many multiple sources of groceries and household items. I've discovered couponing and sale-chasing with a vengeance. I'm not working an outside job at the moment, so I do have a little more discretionary time, not just to cook, but to shop for the best bargains, too. So, given the change in my circumstances, do I still go to Sam's Club? You betcha.

Do I still buy the same things I used to there? Yes and no. I live in an apartment, and the only freezer I have is the one over my refrigerator, so I don't stockpile frozen entrees. Because I live only a couple of miles away from one of the cleanest, nicest Sam's Clubs I've ever been in, I can go more often, so I buy smaller quantities. I don't automatically buy something just because it's there, I never did that anyway. I look at prices, I think about how often those same things come up on sale, and whether it's something that I regularly have coupons for. If it's an item I know the local stores use frequently as a loss leader, I don't buy it at Sam's. If not, I do.

There are still things that I can find at Sam's that I can't always find at the grocery stores. Boneless skinless chicken thighs, for example. You can use these for anything that you might use boneless skinless breasts for, but I think they make a moister, tastier end product than boneless skinless breasts. Lots of other frozen products, too, that are just not to be found in the freezer section of many stores. Most Sam's Clubs have nice fresh meat and produce sections these days. (I can remember when Sam's did not have these--I'm old!) Some weeks when there aren't any good sales elsewhere, I go to Sam's for my regular shopping. I recently bought a huge pack of fresh boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins for way less than what I would have paid anywhere else (sorry, I don't remember the price, I just remember how impressed I was at my deal!). They also always have lots of good "party food" featured during the holidays, both fresh and frozen.

Besides groceries, over the years we've bought everything from books and movies, to gift items, to all kinds of household products. When my first "newlywed" cheap set of pots wore out, my next "inexpensive" set came from Sam's. They were white enameled with a pretty pink & purple flower design on the side. I thought they would do me for a couple of years until I could afford something better. Three of the pots and two of the lids are still in use, almost twenty years later! At any rate, Sam's is definitely worth it for me. Check it out, and see if it might be for you, too.

Happy shopping, until next time...

____________________________

New Goodies to Request

Need help getting in the holiday spirit? Request a free Christmas lapel pin. You can also order more of these at a great price.

Arby's has a coupon for a free roast beef sandwich with any purchase. You can also sign up for Arby's Extras and get emails about future promotions.

Request a sample of "Clean Ultimate Perfume ", or one of Jessica Simpson's fragrance, "Fancy" from Elle magazine's Elle Extra.

Get a free shampoo sample from Paul Mitchell.

Sign up for your sample of Tide Total Care.

And last but not least, while you're surfing, don't forget to see what free samples are being offered at Walmart. (these change regularly)


Happy surfing, these will make you look forward to getting the mail!

Until next time.....

____________________________________

Freebies in the Mail

My Mom was telling me on the phone earlier today about all of the "goodies" she's gotten in the mail this week, and I realized I hadn't posted about my mail freebies in a while. No picture today, as a lot of it was checks and coupons, which don't really make for an interesting photo op! So, with no further adieu, here is what I've gotten in the last couple of weeks:

$3.99 check from Rite Aid, this was my single-check rebate from October.

$2.29 check from Hunts, this was a money-back offer on ketchup--the offer was a peelie on the ketchup bottle

Chex Mix bar and $1 coupon from Betty Crocker for being on their newsletter email list

Kotex sampler pack from Walmart--this had 4 samples plus a $1 coupon

Splenda w/fiber, 2 samples plus $1 coupon, plus a code for 10% off of an order from Splendlife.com

Tide Total Care sample, plus $1 coupon, from P&G Brand Sampler.

$3/5 coupon from SoyJoy--I emailed them a while back when I tried to print a coupon from their site and couldn't get it to print for some reason--and they mailed me a coupon!


$3 coupon for Crest Pro-health rinse & toothpaste, and a $3 coupon for Oral-B Professional Care powerbrush, these were also from Proctor & Gamble.

And last but not least, from Vocalpoint I received two sets of coupons, one for Del Monte fruit naturals, and one for Crest Weekly clean intensive cleaning toothpaste. Each of these comes with one coupon for me for the item free, and 4 or 5 $1 coupons to share with friends and family.

Most of these take just a minute or two to sign up for, and they sure do make it fun to check the mail!


Until next time...

Happy Thanksgiving

• She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Holidays have a unique effect sometimes, of bringing out the best and the worst in us, and Thanksgiving is no exception.

The best because we do usually pause, however briefly, to reflect on those things that we're thankful for--our families, if we have one; our health, however precarious; the abundance of food that the majority of us have the means for--all of those things that we do, face it, take for granted much of the time.

Along with all of the thankfulness, though, can come lots of pressure, which translates into lots of stress. Whether we are hosting an elaborate family get-together, or whether we are the ones visiting extended family, the pressure is there, just in different ways.

If we are hosting, we feel the pressure of making sure we've remembered everything from the rolls to the cranberry sauce. We want the food to be just right, and of course the house needs to be spotless, here comes Aunt Sara two hours early and I haven't even had my shower yet, oh-lord-who-invited-this-many-people-do-I-have-enough-of-everything-will-you-make-those-kids-go-outside-will-everyone-just-BE-QUIET-SO-WE-CAN-GIVE-THANKS-BEFORE-WE-EAT!

You know what I mean.

If you are the one traveling, you still have pressure, just of a different sort. What clothes will I need to bring, not just for myself, but for the kids? Will it be warm enough for them to play outside and run off some of this energy? Do I need an extra jacket for everybody? Do I have enough toys/books/crayons to keep them occupied if it's too cold/wet/rainy for them to go outside? Did I forget anything? No, honey, I need the snacks loaded in the front of the car, not the trunk. Yes, the other ice chest can go in the back, it has my pies in it. Ok, kids, everybody load up. I-thought-I-told-you-to-go-before-we-left-honey-we-have-to-pull-over-why-are-you-driving-so-fast-no-kids-we-aren't-there-yet-here-we-are-oh-look-Aunt-Sara-is-already-here-too-oh-great-who-invited-them-NO-KIDS-NOT-GRANDMAS-BEST-DISHTOWELS-go-in-the-bedroom-and-play-just-eat-a-little-of-what-I-put-on-your-plate-WILL-YOU-ALL-JUST-GET-QUIET-SO-WE-CAN-GIVE-THANKS!

Whew!

Just remember this--sometimes we are nicer to strangers than we are to our own families. And vice versa. It's not that we don't all love each other-but we do often know each other so well that we forget hose common courtesies that we would offer to strangers.

If you haven't had your family dinner yet, take a deep breath, say a prayer of thankfulness, and try to speak kindly. And carry a big stick. (just kidding!)

And if you're reading this after yours is over, and it turned into another three-ring-circus with everybody mad at everybody else, remember this--forgiveness is divine. Literally.

Hoping you and yours have a blessed holiday, with just the right amount of family togetherness to leave you wanting more, and a few shopping bargains this weekend to help you out of your post-turkey-day-blues.

Until next time...

________________________

Walmart--the good, the bad, and the (not) ugly

• She is like the merchants' ships, she bringeth her food from afar
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Today was another major grocery shopping trip for me, and I decided to risk Walmart again, since I was out and about fairly early today. I can't say that it was a mistake, but I'm not sure I'm going to go back to Walmart for my "big" trips again any time soon. They seem to do okay when I have three or four items, but when I have a buggy full, I seem to always have issues!


First of all, Walmart's "low, everyday prices" have been creeping back up on some items. One item in particular that I like to buy from Walmart is Hebrew National weiners. They increased in price at least $1 a pack from last week. Certain grated cheeses are up at least $.50 a package. Some of their prices are still low, but I think I can do as good or better by going to a store that has good sales, doubles coupons up to $.50, but also take competitors coupons.


Secondly, and more importantly, my internet coupons were questioned, again. You can read about the issue I had with this last week here. I politely told the cashier that I had a problem with this at another time, and that I had not only printed a copy of the Walmart corporate coupon policy, I had spoken with a manager at that same store, who confirmed, (after he made some calls himself) that I was correct, and that they would take care of it. At this point, the cashier called a manager, who approved my coupons. The cashier was very polite and aplogetic, and I assured her that I understood that she was only trying to do her job. I think she was concerned that she had not been given the corrected information, and as a matter of fact, she asked to keep the copy of the corporate coupon policy that I had, so she could show some of the other cashiers, which I was happy to let her do.


In the end, I did at least get my groceries this time, and with my coupons(!) I got some good deals on certain items. I will, again, print a copy of the Walmart corporate coupon policy to keep with my coupons. I was able to educate an employee, again, about their own company rules.


That being said, let me tell you about the coupon deals I did make in the end.

1 box Kashi cereal bars, $2.67, less $2Q, net of $.97
4 cans Progesso soup, $1.50 ea, less 2 $1.10/1 Qs, and 1 $1/2, net of $.70 ea
Yoplus yogurt, $2.23, less $1 Q, net of $1.23 for 4, or $.31 ea
2 pkgs Butterball turkey lunch meat, $2.50 ea, less 2 $1 Qs, net of $1.50 ea
3 pkgs Green Giant steamers veggies, $1 ea, less 3 $1 Qs, net = FREE
1 Pillsbury refrigerated Pizza crust, $2.16, less 1 $1.10 Q, net of $1.06
2 Grands biscuits, $1.62 ea, less 2 $1 Qs, net of $.62 ea


The rest of my purchases were things that I seldom have coupons for--ground meat, milk, eggs, bread, etc. I did well on the things I had coupons for, but, again, not sure it's worth it at this point.


One thing I'm thankful for, again, is that I was never rude, never raised my voice, but maintained a calm and pleasant demeanor. I was able to educate an employee, again, on their own policy. I reasured the cashier that I understood she was just trying to do her job. I think I can say that I opened my mouth with kindness (something I've been planning to blog about soon), and spoke with wisdom.


I can't say that this was a terrible trip. I can't say that this was a good trip. It was just a trip!


Hoping you have pleasant shopping this week. Until next time...

__________________________________________

Walmart

• She is like the merchants' ships, she bringeth her food (and other things!) from afar.

After last week's Walmart fiasco, I was eager, yet hesitant to see what deals I could snag at Walmart this morning, using my internet coupons! I did make a small mistake by going relatively early on a Monday--they were still restocking from the weekend, and a couple of things I wanted weren't there. I did get several free and almost free items, though! The four itmes pictured above, after coupons, came to $.20. Yep, you read that right, $.20. "How could this be?" you might ask. And I might tell you!

Kotex pantiliners, 16 count, $1.00, less $1 Q (coupon) off any Kotex product.

Colgate Plus toothbrush, $.96, less $1 Q off any Colgate adult manual toothbrush. Net of +$.04 (edited to add: I don't think this coupon is still available, but Colgate regularly has good coupons of at least $1-$1.50 off, and they change the flavors, style of toothbrush, etc, periodically. Click here to see what they have available now.)

2 pkgs Goody's ouchless hair elastics, $2.12 each, less two $2 Q (available here), net of $.12 each or $.24.

The overage from the toothbrush offset part of the hair thingys, net of $.20!!

I did also buy a few grocery items--3 boxes of cereal, 3 pouches of cookie mix, and a box of granola bars, but they've already been put away in the pantry, so no picture!

Total merchandise, $19.69, total after Qs, $9.69. (It should have been a little lower, I didn't realize till later that the cashier scanned 1 Q twice and missed another, so it would have been $1.75 less!, or $8.44!)

Altogether a good day of shopping! Until next time...

_______________________________

Very bad, awful, aggravating-but-ultimately-good-day at Walmart

Today I decided to do a big shopping trip to Walmart.

I have coupons that are close to expiring for a lot of things that have not come up on sale recently at other stores, and that Walmart has had lower everyday prices for. Deep breath. I spent about an hour or more, going up and down aisles, looking at prices, making choices, and pulling coupons to match. I had a lot of good deals, and a LOT of coupons. I had read that Walmart coupon policy states only 40 coupons per transaction, so I counted to be sure I wasn't over.

Everything was great.

I found a very pleasant cashier with no line, unloaded my stuff, she rang it up and bagged it, we were good-to-go.

Then she took my coupons, and immediately separated out the printed ones. "We don't take internet coupons." I told her I had used them there several time with no problem. "We used to, but we had a meeting about a month ago, and we can't take these any more." I told her that according to what I had read on the internet, Walmart corporate policy is that they DO take internet coupons.

Call for CSM. Wait. Call again. Cashier takes coupons to CSM herself. CSM comes over, calls another CSM. "She's calling someone". "No, we don't take internet coupons".

I had read about this on some other blogs. Several of the "Walmart 11 Moms" bloggers had verified that corporate policy does allow legitimate internet coupons. Other bloggers had recommended having a printed copy of the policy with you, which I had never found to be necessary.

At this point, I politely asked for the transaction to be voided and my coupons returned so that I could take them elsewhere. They were very nice, and apologetic, as was I, but I was determined that if Walmart did indeed have such a policy, I was going to find it, and I was going to let everyone at every step of the ladder know, ever so politely, that I WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.

As I left the store, I had a number of different emotions racing through me. I knew all of my coupons were legit, and I while I knew that they had no way of knowing that, I felt like I was being penalized for someone else's misdeed. I was embarrassed, I was frustrated, and I was angry.

I came home, I got on the internet, I checked a couple of blogs that I knew had mentioned this, and I found it.

So. Here it is. Walmart Corporate Coupon Policy. Yes, Virginia, Walmart does accept internet coupons. Here it is in black and white. Black and white and blue.

After I found the policy, and printed it (twice), I called the store where I had the very-bad-awful-terrible experience, and asked first for a customer service manager. There was apparently not one on duty, as the phone rang interminably and was never picked up. I then called back and asked to speak to a manager. The manager I was connected with was a very nice gentleman named Alan. I explained to him what had happened, and that I had a printed copy of the corporate policy in front of me, and that it contradicted the information that the CSM's and cashier had. He, too, was under the impression that Walmart had stopped taking internet coupons, due to fraudulent coupons. We had a nice conversation about legitimate vs fraudulent coupons. He apologized to me several times, and stated, that while he was very sorry for what had happened to me personally, he was glad this had come up, because they definitely needed to get the local store policies in line with corporate--as they thought they were doing, already. He assured me that he would look into it. At this point, I asked for a call back, one way or the other, when the issue was resolved.

I honestly wasn't sure if I would ever hear anything else about it, but I was determined to be an informed consumer. If Walmart didn't want my coupons, I would live without Walmart, but I WOULD NOT CAVE.

Less than an hour later, I received a call from Alan, the manager I had spoken with. He confirmed what I already knew. Walmart corporate policy is to accept legitimate internet-printed coupons. I had won.

So now, I feel very good that I have impacted a local store policy that affects not just me but many others. At the same time, I thought--I still have to go back and shop again to get my stuff. It probably won't be this weekend, because Walmart is having a big pre-black-Friday blow-out tomorrow, and I don't want to get caught up in all of that. So it will probably be next week before I go back. But go back, I will, armed with my coupons, internet printed and all, AND, a copy of the Walmart Corporate Coupon Policy.

My advice to you--click on it, print it, and put it with your coupons. (Even the manager told me that it would probably be a good idea). I'm thankful that none of my family was with me. My son and husband would have wanted to crawl UNDER the floor that I was CREATING A SCENE. I really didn't, and I am thankful that the Lord allowed me to maintain a calm and pleasant demeanor through out the whole fiasco.

I'm just glad it all worked out in the end. (I'll let you know what happens when I finally do decided to go back) For Part 2 of this story, see Walmart--the good, the bad, and the (not) ugly

Happier shopping. Until next time...

_______________________________

Did You Vote?

We voted by absentee ballot already. Did you vote today?

_______________________________

She rises while it is yet night...

• She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household...

This is a difficult one for me these days. I confess, I am a bit of a night-owl. I haven't always been this way, I started off in a family of mostly early risers, and kept those habits for a long time.

As a newlywed, I got up with my husband at 5:00 am, then sat around for over an hour after he left for work at 5:20, till time for me to get ready to be at my job at 8:00.

I think it started gradually after our son was born. Hubby had a job that required early mornings hours, so he usually went to bed early, as did our son when he was younger. That quiet time when I was the only one awake was my time to do whatever I wanted. I read, I watched TV, I did crafts, I talked on the phone with a couple of night-owl friends. Except for a few short years when our son was in elementary school, I was a working-outside-the-home mom, so that was my only time to myself. Weekends the whole family would stay up later and sleep in the next day, so the habit became even more ingrained. As our son grew up and required less and less from me in the mornings, I started shaving that time back in the mornings little by little. By the time he left for college, I had it down to an exact science--I knew to the minute how long I could sleep and still jump up, get ready, and make it to work on time. Or mostly on time, anyway!

More recently, we relocated to a new area with my husband's job, so I was not working for the first time in many years. I wanted to take a few weeks to relax and settle in before beginning a job hunt, so I reveled in the chance to sleep in and just laze around. And laze I have done.

The problem is, now my time at home has stretched, and looks to stretch a little longer still, and it's time for some habits to die! I find myself running around in the late afternoons/evenings, trying to get things done, wondering where the day has gone.

I know that I'm more productive when I get up earlier, but it's hard to motivate myself to get up in the cold, gray mornings. Okay, we're in the south, so it's not cold. But it is gray. At least until the sun comes out.

I'm almost like a baby who has their days and nights mixed up. I'm not sleepy till late at night. Tired, maybe, but not sleepy. All the good shows come on then. I'm doing internet research. I....

I need to start going to bed earlier, so I can get up and not feel like a zombie for the first few hours of my day. It's healthy. It really is. This week I've been working on getting up a little earlier. I haven't mastered the going to bed earlier part, yet. But I'm working on it.

I'll keep you posted.

Until next time....

__________________________

She is not afraid...

• She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

I read an thought-provoking post at MommySnacks this morning, in"Can you see His hand?" Andrea talks about being thankful for Jesus's hands.

It reminded me of something that went around Christian circles awhile back, when everyone was always saying, "Seek the Lord's face, and not His hand", meaning, don't just look to the Lord for what He does, but look to Him for who He is.

It's a good thing to worship the Lord for who He is, to spend time in the presence of the Lord without always asking for things, but I've started changing the way I pray about that. "Lord, show me your face and your hands. Allow me to be in Your presence, but thank your for also taking care of my needs and my circumstances." I don't ever want to take Him for granted, but I do so appreciate the things that He does do for us, and what He's already done for us.

What does this have to be being "not afraid?" See my post here or below, about fear and worry in these times of economic uncertainty. During times of crises, worry, and fear, seeking the Lords face and His hands is what keeps us from being consumed with fear.

So spend some time with the Lord today; seek His face; but thank Him for His hands.

Until next time...

She is not afraid...

• She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

I don't think you can look at any form of media these days--TV, newspapers, internet--without seeing a lot of gloom and doom about the economy. Stockmarkets worldwide are swinging wildly up and down; banks are closing; huge corporations are declaring bankruptcy. The media is full of stories lately about the dust bowl years, and the depression era of the 1930's. A lot of people are scared and worried.

Even the experts agree, that while there were some problems that have come to light, much of what has ensued has been because people are reacting and not responding. They aren't always looking at what the core issues are. They miss the point.

I heard an excellent sermon this past Sunday that was along these lines. In Judges 6:1-10, the people of Israel were living in a time of fear and poverty. They grew their crops and tended to their animals, and every year for seven years their enemies came and stole everything away, leaving behind waste and destruction. They cried out to God because of their enemies, and He sent a prophet, telling them that they feared the gods of their enemies more than the God who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, and brought them to the promised land. They were disobedient, and their worst problem was not their enemies, it was themselves. When they got their focus back on what it should have been, God raised up a deliverer, one who overcame the enemy, not through strength of force, but by being obedient to the Lord and allowing Him to give them the victory.

I know that sometimes we find ourselves in situations that are beyond our control or even influence. Death, illness, divorce, loss of employment, economic downturns are just a few of many things that can happen to bring us to a place of fear and poverty. Doesn't matter whether it's poverty of money and possessions, or poverty of spirit. If we don't watch it, we get so caught up our lack that we miss the point.

I certainly don't know what will happen with the stockmarket or big business, but God is still on the throne, regardless of the Dow-Jones average. All I can do is look to myself, to see if I am walking in obedience or disobedience, and look to God to supply the rest.

I am reminded of the words of an old song, "many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand, but I know Who holds the future, and I know Who holds my hand."

Until next time...

Kol Nidre

Tonight is Kol Nidre, the eve of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Jewish and Messianic people everywhere meet tonight to say the Kol Nidre prayer, which means "all vows". Traditionally, on this night you are released from all personal vows you made to the Lord in the past year. It also begins the 25 hour Yom Kippur fast.

Historically, the Day of Atonement was the most holy day in the Biblical calendar. It was to be an appointed time, a sabbath of solemn rest; a day of fasting; a holy convocation, or gathering; and a day of offering up of sacrifice.

As a believer, Yom Kippur is another chance for me to pause and remember that Yeshua Ha'mashiach, Jesus the Messiah, has made atonement once and for all for all of my sins.

Prophetically, it's in the portion of the Biblical year that has not yet been fulfilled, along with the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah, or Rosh Hoshana) just past, and the Feast of Tabernacles or booths (Sukkot), which begins next Monday night.

Here is a link to a You-Tube video of a cantor saying the Kol Nidre prayers.

Until next time...


_____________________________________

What does "virtuous" mean?

• Who can find a virtuous woman?

What do you think of when you think of a "virtuous woman"? What does "virtuous" really mean, anyway?

According to dictionary.com, virtue is defined as "moral excellence; goodness; righteousness", and virtuous is defined as "conforming to ethical and moral principles". So a virtuous woman would be a woman of moral excellence, goodness , and righteousness, conforming to ethical and moral principles.

On a more personal level, when I first think of a virtuous woman, I think of an almost saintly person--a real "church lady"--able to perform as a superwoman and keep a sweet look on her face all at the same time.

A lofty aspiration, but is this passage of scripture really discussing only saintliness as we usually define it--the goodness and morality mentioned earlier? The problem with thinking this way is that the scripture was not written originally in English. Especially if we're looking at it in the KJV, common usage of words may have changed since it was first translated. So, lets dig a little deeper. KJV translates this as "virtuous woman"; NKJV, "virtuous wife; NAS, "excellent wife", and the Amplified Bible states it as "capable, intelligent, and virtuous wife". So, again, I think of a certain quality of "goodness", and maybe efficiency thrown in for good measure. From the passage, it's obvious she is a real worker bee, and now she is morally excellent, good, and righteous.

This is getting worse and worse. I mean, er, harder and harder to live up to.

But wait, there's more...

According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, the word translated here as "virtuous" is a Hebrew word that can best be transliterated in English as chayil. The definition of chayil is "army, wealth, virtue, valour, strength..great forces..might..power..strength." What's more, this word chayil is translated as virtue, virtuous, virtuously only about 4 out of 243 instances that it's used in the Bible. By far the single biggest use of this word is translated as "men of valour", as in David's mighty men of valour.

When I first started studying this, it was as if a light-bulb went off over my head. Being a virtuous woman is not about being meek and mild and sweet and "good"--all of those things that I have trouble being. Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) that we all need to bear. But being a virtuous woman is about more than that. It's about being a strong woman. A woman of valour and honor. A woman of moral excellence, and yes, a "good" woman.

Wait a minute--aren't women supposed to be "the weaker sex"? You know, most of us are physically weaker than most men, in the tests that men use to measure strength. We probably can't bench press more than the men we know. We probably can't jump as high or run as fast or as far as most men. I think we're capable, though, of strength of a different sort. We may not bear the physical burdens in our families, but we often bear other types of burdens. Our work may be measured differently from what most men term work, but it is a noble work, and one that we are peculiarly equipped to do. Men may be the bricks upon which we build our family, but we are the mortar that holds it all together.

I'll be talking later on about what it means to be a strong woman of God, but for tonight, let me leave you with this. God has a peculiar place for each of us as godly women to fill. We are virtuous--not by our own strength, or by our own goodness, but by His strength, and His goodness.

Rise up, you women of virtue; rise up, you women of valour and strength, and take the place that God created you to take.

Until next time,

It's a love/hate relationship

• Who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies

I don't remember exactly when I first discovered the virtuous woman found in Proverbs 31. I do remember how taken I was with the qualities and virtues extoled by the writer of these scriptures. The whole passage reads like poetry to me---"Who can find a virtuous woman? Her price is far above rubies...the heart of her husband safely trusts in her...she is like the merchants' ships, she brings her food from afar...she girds herself and strengthens her arms...she considers a field, and buys it, with her own hands she plants a vineyard..she is not afraid of the snow for her household, for they are clothed with scarlet...she stretches out her arm to the poor and needy..her clothing is tapestry and purple...she opens her mouth with wisdom and kindness...she looks well to the ways of her household...her children rise up and call her blessed, and her husband praises her...give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her".

A beautiful passage of scripture, one that has been the subject of many Mother's Day sermons and Women's Ministry devotionals. One that has no doubt been the source of both inspiration and guilt for many woman through the ages. One that is the topic of many books, as well as websites and blogs. So, you may ask, why another one?

That's a good question.

Like I stated earlier, I can't remember when I first started reading about the virtuous woman. Trying to imitate her. Loving her. Hating her. Feeling guilty about all of the ways that I fell short. But as I started really reading and studying, I found so much there that I hope will bring insight and blessing both to my life and I hope to yours.

Having a website/blog of this sort is a new endeavor for me. There is so much that I want to discuss and share that it seems overwhelming and exciting at the same time.

New content will be added quickly, so please check back often. If you would like to subscribe through a feeder or become a "follower", please see the sidebar.

Thanks and God Bless You,
Charlene

A Virtuous Woman

• Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
• The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
• She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
• She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
• She is like the merchants' ships, she bringeth her food from afar.
• She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat toher household, and a portion to her maidens.
• She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
• She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
• She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
• She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
• She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
• She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
• She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
• Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
• She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delvereth girdles unto the merchant.
• Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
• She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
• Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
• Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
• Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
• Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:10-31, KJV

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 6 November 2009

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Charlene Blevins. For questions about this blog, please contact charlene@avirtuouswoman.info.

This blog accepts some forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. I believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. If a company asks me to review their product and I accept, there will more than likely be an ad or a review post as a result of that request. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content. The advertising on this blog is a combination of advertisements generated by a third party ad network and/or sold privately.
The owner of this blog may be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics, but the views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely that of the blog owner. If I claim or appear to be an expert on a certain topic or product or service area, I will only endorse products or services that I believe, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org