Coupon Shmoupon

Alright, I decided to try my hand at couponing this week. I think I must need a system or something because after an hour of clipping coupons, another 30 minutes organizing and 2 hours of shopping I am pretty sure that I spent more money than I would have without them. But I am also pretty sure I did it backwards or something.

My receipt said that I saved 10.78 but I spent about $20 more than if I would have just gone to the Dollar Store. One problem was that once I got to the store to pair their in-store special and a coupon, they were out of the item. Or the sale price with a coupon was higher than regular price somewhere else. I am not giving up but I think I need to do some further research. As it stands right now, I really don't know what the regular prices at various stores are so I don't know if 2/$5 for 300 count Q-tips is a great price. It isn't by the way. I used a coupon to get that deal at Walgreens and then went into the Dollar Store to get toilet paper (since they were out at Walgreens) and found that I could have bought 500 count Q-tips for a little under $2. I feel duped!!!

So I will be learning some more about couponing and putting into practice because I could really use a boost in the old wallet right now. Who couldn't?

Speaking of my wallet.......I have decided to work part time to be able to pay some bills off and put money into savings for our boys school tuition and vacations and such. I wasn't willing to put our 3 year old into school yet so I decided to work from home. I have been wearing Mary Kay products and LOVING them since I was in college. So I am now a Mary Kay independent Beauty consultant. I love it!!!
Please shop with me, your Independent Beauty Consultant
Your skin will thank me. You can click below or enter the address in your browser.
www.marykay.com/keturamc

Shop with me!

Hit me Between the Eyes Today

As so many of you, I have a list of blogs that I like to read. Some offer humor to lift my day, some offer hope that I am not alone in my struggles and some encourage the pants off of me. Today as I was reading, I came across this blog. It was written by Lisa Whittle, a wife, mother, writer, and daughter of God. IT spoke to me so much that I thought I would share it with you all. If you are interested in reading more of her blog, you can either like on her name in my blog list or go to www.lisawhittle.com.

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The Ugly Truth


Sep 22
I’m convinced that some of the most painful moments we spend with Jesus are when He brings us face-to-face with our own ugliness. It’s in those moments that we are repulsed by insights we know in our core to be true.

I admit that I resonate with the thought of being on God’s anvil, as I know well the feeling of being hammered flat by the awareness of the corrupt condition of my heart. I’ve been there, many times.

The truth is, it hurts to look at our inner ugliness.

But God has recently been reminding me of the benefit of being pure from the inside out – of having character in the small things that others may never see or notice but shape my everyday living.

The passage in Matthew where Jesus teaches the religious leaders about inner purity has been constantly playing in my head over the past few weeks. “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away.” {15:8} I can think of almost nothing worse than a hypocrite. But the reality is, many times, I am one.

This thought alone drives me to want to clean things up.

A friend of mine recently told me something I won’t soon forget. In fact, I’m not sure anything I’ve read lately has had quite this much impact. He said,

“I [think] what is destroying faith is not Satan. It’s [people who say they are believers that are catty on] Facebook. It’s rude drivers with a fish emblem. It’s the lady buying supplies for VBS in the summer, wearing a t-shirt for said VBS, that [pushes people] out of the way to buy some marshmallows.”

What my friend is talking about is the reality of what happens when we don’t live with the inner character of Jesus. If we accept our eventual turn on the anvil, it leads to the necessary moment when we finally tilt our face toward God and let the truth of who we are compared to who He is hammer us out flat.

Friends, our epidemic is not being too busy. It’s having an ingenuine faith. It’s pre-occupation. It’s calloused hearts. It’s inner ugliness that hasn’t been attended to for a very long time. Lots of us are walking around with things long unattended, and it shows.

When we desire clean living above all else, we face truth that will hurt. But we open up opportunities to share Jesus by the beauty His character through us exudes.

Only then will our heart sing a song of freedom.

Only then will we love people well.

Only then will we please the heart of the God we worship with our lips.

I am pained by the thought of my ugliness. But in the same way I am driven to a place of inner purity, where Jesus takes up the entire space.

May the ugly truth about who we are, drive us into the arms of our beautiful Savior, even today.

Sniff, sneeze, sneeze, sneeze, sniff

That is the soundtrack around here today. My son has sneezed about 1,000 times in the last 24 hours. I guess he can blame it on me and all the farmers picking and cutting dry, dry, dry crops right now. He normally takes allergy medicine and can you believe that we ran out and I forgot to pick up some more? So we made a special trip earlier so he could get some relief. Hopefully the little man will be breathing easier quickly.

His daddy has a cold and has been snotting and sneezing too. Poor guys!!

I have had a lazy Saturday for sure. I have accomplished absolutley nothing and I don't even feel bad about it. Everyone needs a breather occassionally, right?

Totally unrelated, but has anyone else seen the show "Hoarders". I am fascinated! I feel so bad for these people because I know that I can't even begin to understand how they are feeling. I have some people in my extended family that would almost fit into that category but not that extreme. The show has made me appreciate my little house and that everything has a place. I would go crazy if my house was cluttered and filthy like that. I mean, I am sure you could find some dust bunnies, dirt and some things out of place if you look hard enough. I am not perfect.....surprised? I didn't think so...hahaha

There are lots of things going on right now in our little family. I know God has a plan and a purpose for us and I feel that we are on the edge of something great. We are pushing through, knowing that God knows exactly where He is taking us. Learning to trust in a completely new way. I am nervous and excited at the same time. My hubby has had a dream his entire life and God is allowing us to see how it will become a reality. I am so proud of my husband. He is such a wonderful man, so kind, compassionate, giving, sensitive and he loves the Lord so much. It is my desire to see him walking out the plan God created him to fulfill. We are so different in so many ways but the longer we are married I realize that God brought us together so that we could work as a team, the unit stronger than either individual. He is strong where I am weak and vice versa. I am thrilled to be walking through this life with him by my side. I am so blessed!!!! Your prayers for guidance, direction and provision are coveted today. Thank you!

My new Mantra

I am not sure even where I heard this but it struck a chord with me and has ignited something in me.

"It is so much better to be a first rate version of yourself than to be a second rate version of someone else".

I have found freedom in this phrase. Why do I spend so much time and energy trying to be like others when I should just relax, accept the person God created me to be and live my life allowing Him to mold me and bring out the beauty He sees when He looks at me. Always room for improvement but I should be who God created me to be, the best version of myself possible.

Some Contemplations

The boys were in my cousins wedding last weekend. They looked so adorable and sweet. They did an awesome job and behaved themselves. I was so proud. We drove all day yesterday and made it home after midnight. Of course, now the boys and I are trying to get rested up before life continues like normal tomorrow. I am hoping to turn in early tonight.

And I have been thinking about the purpose of this blog. I am at a crossroads of what to do with it. On one hand I want to keep the people I care about updated with how we are doing and what is going on with us. But because it is not a private blog I am finding myself apprehensive to talke specifics and to post pics. I love blogs, all kinds of blogs, I love reading them and seeing the diversity of personalities and interests that they represent. I am just not sure what to do with mine. I know that I would feel a greater freedom to talk, share and be more intimate with what is going on with me and the family if I didn't have to worry about "creepies" stumbling upon it. And I think I am about at my limit of information overload. I know that I will probably get some hate mail by saying this but I am sooooooo over people sharing every little detail of their lives on the internet. What happened to face to face or even voice to voice (via phones) communcation? Just a thought.......

So, I am still not any closer to a resolution but now you all know what I am feeling. Be blessed!!

As a side note....my thoughts about people sharing on the internet is general and not about any particular person, blog, etc. Just so that is clear. Last time I made a comment like that I got phones calls wanting to know who I was upset at.....can you imagine???? hahaha

My Life in Movie Quotes

You've Got Mail:
Kathleen Kelly:[writing to "NY152"] Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.

Sleepless In Seattle:
Becky: (talking to Annie) Verbal ability is a highly overrated thing in a guy, and it's our pathetic need for it that gets us into so much trouble.

Steel Magnolias:
Ouiser Boudreaux:(talking to M'Lynn) What's the matter with you these days, M'Lynn? You got a reindeer up your butt?

Madea's Family Reunion:
May: Love is many things. It's varied. One thing it is not and can never be is unsure.

Fireproof:
Michael: Fireproof doesn't mean a fire will never come, but that when it comes you'll be able to withstand it.

Had to Share

I heard this today for the first time. Had to share.


Arms Wide Open
Misty Edwards
Fling Wide :

Lyrics:

“What does love look like?” is the question I’ve been pondering
“What does love look like?”
“What does love look like?” is the question I’ve been asking of You

I once believed that love was romance, just a chance
I even thought that love was for the lucky and the beautiful
I once believed that love was a momentary bliss
But love is more than this
All You ever wanted was my attention
All You ever wanted was love from me
All You ever wanted was my affections, to sit here at Your feet

Then I sat down, a little frustrated and confused
If all of life comes down to love
Then love has to be more than sentiment
More than selfishness and selfish gain

And then I saw Him there, hanging on a tree, looking at me
I saw Him there, hanging on a tree, looking at me
He was looking at me, looking at Him, staring through me
I could not escape those beautiful eyes
And I began to weep and weep

He had arms wide open, a heart exposed
Arms wide open; He was bleeding, bleeding

Love’s definition, love’s definition was looking at me
Looking at Him, hanging on a tree
I began to weep and weep and weep and weep

This is how I know what love is, this is how I know what love is

And as I sat there weeping, crying
Those beautiful eyes, full of desire and love

He said to me, “You shall love Me, You shall love Me
You shall love Me, You shall love Me”

With arms wide open, a heart exposed
With arms wide open, bleeding, sometimes bleeding

If anybody’s looking for love in all the wrong places
If you’ve been searching for love, come to Me, come to Me
Take up your cross, deny yourself
Forget your father’s house and run, run with Me
You were made for abandonment, wholeheartedness
You were made for someone greater, someone bigger, so follow Me
And You’ll come alive when you learn to die

School Daze

Well, my sweet little man got in trouble this week at school. I must say that I knew it would happen eventually but it came sooner than I thought.

We have been able to carpool with another family and it has been great. I went to school with her and it has been so nice getting to know her again. Anyway, my little man and her little man are in the same class. They were instant friends. If my son is dragging out of bed in the mornings all I have to do is remind him that he is riding with his buddy to school and he hops out of bed. It has been nice. And they play really well together. But they have both been in trouble this week. And when the story unfolds they are together when it happens. Kind of funny actually. So my little man got in trouble for playing and making way too much noise in the bathroom. I should have known that his mouth would get him in trouble. He is sooooo social like me. He is learning though.

He also almost gave me a heart attack the other day. He was riding his bicycle on the deck and got too close to the stairs. He didn't get his front tire turned in time and ended up going down the steps on his bike. When he hit the concrete at the bottom his tire stuck and flung him over the handle bars into the tire rim on my car. It freaked me out. He was screaming and crying. I just knew he had really hurt himself. But thankfully his angels were working overtime. He pinched a finger, scraped his ribs and got a goose-egg on his head. It could have been so much worse. Thank the Lord it wasn't. By the next morning he was all better.

In other news, my youngest little man is doing great. He loves hanging out with mommy in the mornings. We made "flubber" yesterday. It was so much fun. I love that stuff.

I am ready for the temperatures to drop a bit. I am tired of being stuck inside. Because I am not about to sweat to death, not my thing.

Getting a ladies night tonight. Yeah!!!!!