Sundays Unplugged

This Sunday we are contentedly tired.  Birthday celebrations continue.  Preparations for school for Little Man continue. 

Grateful that God draws me nearer to Him throughout our daily activities.  To be unplugged and turn my thoughts solely to Him is refreshing. 

Encouraging. 

Centering.

Calming.

How do you get refreshed for the week to come?

Cracking the Coupon Code. Again.

Is there anyone else out there that is on and off the coupon wagon so much, your head's spinning?

School's in for the big girl.  School's almost in for the little man.  And I am determined to crack the code on this coupon thing.  Again.  I was doing pretty good with it in the spring.  But wasn't touching any of the drug stores.

A friend put me on to Southern Savers website. 

All the codes are pretty confusing, until you read Jenny's tutorial on what it all means.  I had my toe in the water already on this part.  At the beginning of the year I bought the digital download of Grocery University.  I think you can still Google the promo code I used to get a little money off, but it is money WELL spent.  I learned so much!  And I refer to the information a lot, especially now that I'm diving back in.

So here's my new goal for the rest of this month:

1.  Shop two grocery stores.

2.  Shop two pharmacy stores.

I want to see where that puts me.  If I plan ahead (a MUST with this stuff) I can get each of these stores on my route for that day anyway.  I could add one more pharmacy, if it looked like I could save even more.

I just don't want to be driving all over town, spending gas, trying to save pennies here and there.  But I want to give a true fair shake!  So here I go!  Where are my scissors...

New-today

I am joining The Gypsy Mama today for my first Five Minute Friday.  Five minutes of thoughts and creativity that is unedited and uncriticized by me.  Sounds great!

Our given topic this morning is New.

Each day is new. This topic makes me so grateful.  When yesterday was a struggle, today is new.  When I was nervous and anxious, I don't have to carry that to today.  When I said the wrong thing or acted terribly, today is the chance to start new. 

A new cup of coffee.  A new start.  Breathing in and out and embracing this day.  The chance to be my best.  To change the things I didn't like about myself yesterday.  And to be grateful.  For this new day.  A renewal of energy and perspective.  I can do it!  Today I have the opportunity again to embrace what God has given me.  And He has equipped me to thrive in my circumstances.

Have a New Day!

Sundays Unplugged

Allowing church family into the inner circle of our family.  Not easy for a very private person.

We talked in SS about forgiveness and how it's such a challenge to forgive ourselves.  And also that we are thinking about our particular situation a whole lot more than the person we need to forgive is.

John 14:27 NIV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

 

Peace.  Peace comes in His presence.  Peace comes from knowledge and preparation, also.  Lord, equip me to be the advocate I need to be.

 

Grateful for the gift of fun family moments.  Dancing in the living room to cartoon music.  Celebrating the life we have!!!

 

How did you celebrate your Sunday this week?

 

 

Sundays Unplugged

Had to swallow a lot of pride today.  And, in a way, a lot of privacy.  Yet another step in acceptance of our new diagnosis.

How do you handle a sudden public announcement of something you have kept quite private? 

You trust.

You must.  After the tears subside and the selfishness of the desire for privacy is over, God steps in.  He says, "Trust me.  Don't rely so much on yourself.  Allow your church family to pray for you.  They want to love on your family."

Then the peace comes.  Slowly I remember the events of the morning.  Both kiddos have "moved up" in their Sunday School classes, even though the little boy is still working on that potty.  Even though mommy doesn't think he can handle it.  Then a wonderful gentle man takes little boy under his wing.  And success happens!  Peace.

Then little boy escapes the room.  Panic.  Where is he?  God protects me from all of it by removing me to serve elsewhere.  And the congregation enjoys some surprise comic relief when he makes it all the way to the drums.  Daddy's drums.  So familiar.  So fun!  One loud noise of praise.  He's found.  Safe.  Peace.

One loving church member's words keep ringing- "We aren't going to let you fail."

I trust you, Lord.  I swallow pride.  I feel lost at times with all these terms and appointments.  All of the education I've had so far about this mysterious and broad Autism.  And now the church family wants to be educated.  Step up.  Trust.  Be little boy's advocate.  Biggest fan. 

But remember that no one can be a bigger fan of him than God. 

And God is my biggest fan, too. 

Rejoice!

I've learned a lot this week!

Dana over at Made is celebrating three years on her blog!  To celebrate, she launched a contest last week asking for folks to make a new header for her.



 Now, I am not a graphic designer.  I'm barely a blogger!  But Dana typed a few words that really inspired me to give this contest a try. 

You. Can. Do it.
You don't have to be a graphic designer to create a spiffy blog. Most of what I've done to my site, I learned by reading online tutorials about html, how to tweak it, and how to add things to make the blog just what I want.

So I've been playing.  For a week!  And thinking to myself, "This is nuts.  There are real graphic designers out there who are going to enter this thing to win these SUPAH prizes (they are big-time super).  What am I thinking?" 

However, after sufficiently neglecting my family with phrases like, "In just a minute, honey, I'm trying to crop this one...thing..."  I decided I'd enter anyway.  Be Brave Jen!  Whatcha got to lose??

Now that the pressure I've put on myself is off, this has really been fun.  I'm learning a lot!  Mostly that Word is a challenge to use if you want to get really creative, but totally workable if you want to keep things simple. 

So I've thrown my graphic name in the hat.  I might enter two more (there's a limit of three entries).  I certainly have ideas saved away in this good ol' laptop!  But I'm ever grateful for the little push from Dana to try.  And to tell me "I can do it!" 

Have you tried something totally out of your box lately?

Sundays: Unplugged

A quiet ride to church.

Our annual "fancy dinner" to celebrate the First Day of School.

A little boy finding his words.  And using them to say, "Come on sis, let's play!"

Fun bath time.  Barbies, goggles, and one pool mask.

A loose tooth.

Excitement as we all try to sleep.

~Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul.~