Warehouse Club Do's, Don'ts

By Jean Chatzky · Bankrate.com
Used by permission
Tuesday, July 14, 2015

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On a recent visit to my local warehouse club, I stumbled upon a rack of discount movie tickets --10 for $85, a $4-per-show discount off the $12.50 my local theater charges for an adult ticket. I’d never considered buying movie tickets on a grocery run before, but as a frequent theatergoer, the price was too good to pass up.

As it turns out, warehouse clubs are a source of some surprising finds, says Benjamin Glaser, the features editor at DealNews.

Below, 5 of the best deals, along with another 5 that really aren’t deals at all.

What to buy

Gift cards. The aforementioned movie tickets make a great gift, but if you’re in the market for a more standard gift card, you’re likely to find that, too, says Glaser. He’s frequently seen cards for smaller restaurant chains -- think Peet’s Coffee & Tea -- for up to 60% off and $100 iTunes cards for $80.

Medication. Glaser has seen 1,000 tablets of ibuprofen at Costco sell for $10, with similar products priced closer to $16 at other pharmacies. Raechel Conover, a staff writer at Cheapism.com, agrees. "At any membership level, medication prices were 2% to 40% lower -- when no insurance was used -- at Costco. In a 2013 survey by Consumer Reports, Costco was the cheapest pharmacy out of 200."

Organic food. In particular, pantry staples like pasta, sugar, olive oil, bread and honey can be found on the cheap, says Conover, who notes that Costco outperforms other bulk stores in this category.

Name-brand clothing. "We see good deals here, on brands like Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole and Levi’s," says Glaser.

Glasses. You can find prescription eyeglasses at a pretty significant discount, though these days it’s worth it to price-check online competitors like Coastal.com and Zenni Optical, as well.

What to skip

Seasonings. Salt can generally stand the test of time, but other dried herbs get stale and lose their punch before most cooks can use a bulk supply.

Electronics. "We see too many good electronics deals at other retailers, so it’s tough for anyone to top those," says Glaser. Electronics get refreshed so frequently that it’s fairly easy to find an older, but still fine, model on discount. The exception: TVs are sometimes well-priced at warehouse clubs, so it pays to compare deals.

Fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s not that the deals aren’t good; it’s that it can be difficult to use a bulk count of these items before they go bad, and most don’t freeze well. Unless you’re having a party or you know you’ll eat that 20-pack of bananas quickly, it’s best to skip it.

Books. The deals generally aren’t any better than those you’d find on Amazon, so if you can wait for the shipping, you’re better off doing so.

Anything you can’t store. You may get 100 rolls of toilet paper at a steal, but if you have to keep them in the middle of your living room, you should weigh the quality of life issue against the money saved.

Read more: http://www.bankrate.com/financing/saving-money/jean-chatzky-warehouse-club-dos-donts/#ixzz3y7L5OE2g 

A Screwtape Letter For the Unappreciated Mom

by Kelsey Shade - OrganizingLifeWithLittles.com 
Used by permission

My Dear Wormwood,

I was thrilled to hear you have been making progress with the mother.  You have a good lead, from what I hear.  She feels over-worked, unappreciated, and discouraged?  I’m so glad to hear it.  If you tread carefully, this can be a great opportunity.  With the kids waking her up every hour last night, we already have an advantage.  A tired Mom makes for a more emotional Mom, and an emotional Mom is a vulnerable one.

I do have a few tips.  First, aim your best efforts at her marriage.

As you know, we cannot do much with a unified marriage.  Luckily for us, a cranky and exhausted wife can do wonders to change that.  We must convince her that her husband is no longer the friend and ally she first married.  Instead, we must reveal every sin and selfish habit, especially drawing attention to his thoughtless actions (mal-intended or not) against her.

Sometimes it’s the less obvious things, things the husband doesn’t even realize, that we can use to offend her the most.  When he comes home from work and dumps his things on the counter nearest the door (instead of hanging his coat or putting away his keys), let her think of it as a direct assault on her work as a homekeeper.  When he treks mud in with his shoes, let her think it is because he does not love her.  Such extremes of thought may seem ridiculous to you or I, but to the exhausted mortal woman, it can seem possible.  Your goal is to make her think the husband does not notice, or even better, that he does not care about her efforts at home.

Secondly, do what you can to keep her focused on her troubles and pains.  Remind her how much her back aches, how draining the children were all day, and how many undone tasks still beckon her.  Do not let her wonder what difficulties her husband faced that day or whether his back might also be aching.  Valuing others above oneself is one of those silly, though strangely effective, tactics of the Enemy.  If she stops to make him a cup of coffee, the next thing you know she’ll be rubbing his shoulders and flirting with him on the couch.  It can progress out of your control if you’re not careful.
Along those lines, be sure the Mother starts to value productivity above everything else.  Have her wake up early and work non-stop until bedtime.  If the husband relaxes in the evening with an hour of computer gaming, be sure the wife notices the pile of unfolded laundry or unswept floors.  Do not let her grab a book and relax alongside her husband.  Diligence, often one of the Enemy’s virtues, when overdone can be used to our advantage as well.  Convince her that as long as there is a shred of work to be done (and there always is), no one should be resting.  Then, as she folds and sweeps and he sits, you can introduce the sweet bitterness of resentment.

A word of caution here.  Remember, the love of a husband can be dangerous to our cause.  If he senses her unhappiness, he may begin to help or (even worse) show her affection.  This is where previously planted seeds of resentment can be guided into full bloom.  Make her think that his displays of affection are because he “only wants one thing.”  Do not let her view his help with the dishes (or kisses or cuddling) as having pure motives.  If he shows his desire for her, convince her that she is being used, not loved.  As we both know, the ultimate Act of Marriage can bond them together in a way that can undo much hard work on our part.  Because of this, do not allow her to prioritize that Act on her mental to-do-list.  It is in our best interest to keep the wife busy, busy, busy and be sure she’s far too exhausted to consider it by the end of the evening.

Now, onto the children.  Lovely little opportunities for us, the children, especially the little ones.  We all know that children are a favorite tool of the Enemy.  He calls them Blessings and Gifts and calls parents to lay down their lives for them, just as his Son did.  Insane, I know.  We must convince her that the obnoxious little people she has charge of are not really worth her sacrifice.  When the Mother first dreamed of having children, she probably imagined large, innocent eyes and chubby, happy grins taking up the majority of her days.  Do your best to shatter those expectations.

Instead, draw attention to how much they take from her.  Let them take and take and take…  And need and need and need, until the Mother feels totally spent.  Let them start crying at the same time for the most irrational of reasons.  Let the noise bother her.  Let their bad behavior surprise her.  Do your best to make the day-to-day monotony of diaper changes, meals, and baths seem simultaneously overwhelming and beneath her.  Let her think of all the better, more important things she could be doing with her life, if only she didn’t have the children.

Don’t let her think about the future responsible, faithful adults she is raising.  Society changers, friends, workers, husbands or wives…  Don’t let her think of them as life-long companions who will love her, converse with her, and care for her in her old age.  Oh, and definitely don’t let her think about the grandchildren she might be able to see in their little grubby faces if she looked hard enough now.  No, no, no…  Thinking ahead to when her work bears fruit, as the Enemy calls it, is always a bad idea.  Keep words like ‘heritage’ or ‘legacy’ far away from the runny noses and jelly stains of the day to day.

If there is any last piece of advice I have for you, Wormwood, it is to keep the Mother looking to her husband or family for her fulfillment and comfort.  We know that the Enemy is always watching and willing to take the burdens of his children, but if we divert the Mother’s attention well enough, this fact can be forgotten.  Make her look to her husband for worth and affirmation.  Then, when he lets her down (as he is sure to do), she will be ours to torment.  Yes, the worst thing that could happen would be for her to turn to Him with her needs and inadequacies.  Once she realizes that the Enemy offers a peace that transcends her situation, our work could be utterly compromised.

Your Malevolent Uncle,
Screwtape


Kelsey is a Christian momma of three boys (ages 1, 3, and 5) who blogs on home organizing and mom encouragement at OrganizingLifeWithLittles.com.

God Has This

Make no mistake about it, "He's got the whole world in His hands."

From the greatest to the least, nothing is beyond the scope of His sovereign power and providential care. He makes the rain fall, the sun shine, the stars twinkle--in this and all other galaxies. He raises up people and kingdoms and He brings down both. He numbers the hairs on our heads and determines the days of our lives. In doing so, He weaves everything together into His design. Ultimately, the tapestry of His handiwork will be something to behold!
--Chuck Swindoll

 

"Blessed is he who trusts the LORD." Proverbs 16:20

A Boy and His Boots

A kindergarten teacher was helping one of her students put his boots on. He had asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn’t want to go on. When the second boot was on, she was nearly out of breath.

 

She almost whimpered when the little boy said, “Teacher, they’re on the wrong feet.” She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as they worked together to get the boots back on – this time on the right feet.

He then announced, “These aren’t my boots.”

 

She bit her tongue rather than scream, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off.

 

He then said, “They’re my brother’s boots. My Mom made me wear them.”

 

She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again.  She said, Now, where are your gloves?”

 

He said, “I stuffed them in the toes of my boots…”

The Quilt Holes

Author unknown - Thanks to Annamarie Kresge in Virginia for sending this!

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the  other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.  They were filled with giant holes. 

Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life.  I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me.  Nobody else had such squares.  Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.  I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally, the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.  The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries.  So filled their lives had been.  My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.  I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.  I had love in my life and laughter.  But there had also been trials of illness and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.  I had to start over many times.  I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. 

I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.  I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth.  My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.  I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.  An awe-filled gasp filled the air.  I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.  Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.  He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through until there was more of Me than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

Poem and Quotes by Albert Benjamin Simpson

 ― Albert Benjamin Simpson
 https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2833763.Albert_Benjamin_Simpson

"Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.

Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the veil."


 Quotes of Albert Benjamin Simpson

“Some people get easily turned aside from the grandeur of their life-work by pursuing their own grievances and enemies, until their life gets turned into one little petty whirl of warfare. It is like a nest of hornets. You may disperse the hornets, but you will probably get terribly stung, and get nothing for your pains, for even their honey is not worth a search.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, Days of Heaven Upon Earth

“I once saw a picture of the Constitution of the United States, very skillfully engraved in copper plate, so that when you looked at it closely it was nothing more than a piece of writing, but when you looked at it at a distance, it was the face of George Washington. The face shone out in the shading of the letters at a little distance, and I saw the person, not the words, nor the ideas; and I thought, “‘That is the way to look at the Scriptures and understand the thoughts of God, to see in them the face of love, shining through and through; not ideas, nor doctrines, but Jesus Himself as the Life and Source and sustaining Presence of all our life.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson

“Peace with God is the effect of forgiveness,”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, The A.B. Simpson Collection: 32 Classic Works

“We do not always feel joyful, but we are always to count it joy.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, Days of Heaven Upon Earth

“The ruin of the human race came by discrediting and doubting God’s word to our first parents. “Hath God said?” was the fountain of all sin. “God hath said” is the foundation, therefore, of our restoration.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, The A.B. Simpson Collection: 32 Classic Works

“The devil’s first trick is to get us to say, “I have not sinned.” And then his last blow is to make us think, “My sin is too great to be forgiven.” But humble faith accepts God’s judgment upon itself, and escapes judgment.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, The A.B. Simpson Collection: 32 Classic Works

“One bright and thankful look at the cross is worth a thousand morbid, self-condemning reflections.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, Days of Heaven Upon Earth

“Someone has beautifully analyzed the fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5: 22, and shown that all the graces there mentioned are but various forms of love itself. The apostle is not speaking of different fruits, but of one fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, and the various words that follow are but phrases and descriptions of the one fruit, which is love itself. Joy, which is first mentioned, is love on wings; peace, which follows, is love folding its wings, and nestling under the wings of God; longsuffering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in activity, faith is love confiding; meekness is love stooping; temperance is true self-love, and the proper regard for our own real interests, which is as much the duty of love, as regard for the interests of others.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, The A.B. Simpson Collection: 32 Classic Works

“Most persons after a step of faith are looking for sunny skies and unruffled seas, and when they meet a storm and tempest they are filled with astonishment and perplexity.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, Days of Heaven Upon Earth

“God’s jewels are often sent us in rough packages and by dark liveried servants, but within we find the very treasures of the King’s palace and the Bridegroom’s Love.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson, Days of Heaven Upon Earth

“The greatest need of our age and of every age, the greatest need of every human heart, is to know the resources and sufficiency of God.”
― Albert Benjamin Simpson

Taking the Overwhelming Out of Gluten Free

by Elizabeth Tromm - Used by permission

https://wingingthislife.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/taking-the-overwhelming-out-of-gluten-fre e/

 

We have always eaten a pretty good diet, growing, canning, and freezing our food. Cooking from scratch, strictly limiting our sugar intake, etc.  However, last August when I decided we would go gluten free for a couple of specific health reasons, I was OVERWHELMED! Where did I start, how does one simply throw all wheat berries, flour, and gluten out of their kitchen? And what in the world do you use in their place?

MY biggest hurdle was going to be pasta. I LOVE a big plate of pasta. I think somewhere in my blood there are Italian roots, pasta and crusty bread at every meal! It is my comfort food, it is inexpensive, which makes it ideal for a large group of people, and any type of sauce is general super easy to make. What was I going to do?

 

I stumbled across a blog one day and sent a text to my sister along with the blog and told her we should do a seven-day clean eating challenge. Doing things like exercising, eating right, and time management are easier if you have a partner to hold you accountable. She agreed, and we started the challenge. I believe it is called a challenge for a very good reason. If your body is accustomed to something, in my case gluten, then going off of it is challenging for your mood, your digestive system, and your culinary skills.

 

It takes two to three weeks for the gluten cravings to end and your body to adjust and settle down to the new normal. During this time period you might consider hurting your spouse. You might be short tempered with your children. And you might contemplate selling your children’s cats, your husband’s dog, and all other livestock that occupy your farm. Instead of feeling like you are on top of the world you might feel that the world is running over you and you have a mountain to climb just getting out of bed each morning.

But, once you persevere through those first two weeks you won’t regret it for a single minute. After the initial adjustment period, I had more energy, I never had that bloated sluggish “won’t be able to move again” after a meal kind of feeling. I had far less aches and pains in my joints. I was sleeping better at night and waking up able to bounce out of bed, as much as a night owl bounces in the morning, instead of getting up slowly and stiffly. And, I had better clarity of mind.

So where do you start on this journey? I have two favorite blog sites that I cooked from for about two months before I started branching out and being able to take an ordinary recipe and turn it into a clean gluten free recipe.

My favorite site, and the one I recommend to a lot of people, is the http://www.cleaneatingcorner.com. This one has two 7-day challenges and a 14-day challenge. She gives you a grocery list and the recipes for three meals each day and 3 snacks each day for every day of the challenge. It is all laid out and packaged with a bow. Well, no bow, but she does make it SUPER simple and anyone can do it!

 

Once you have gotten your feet wet, and feel a little more adapt in your kitchen with these new ingredients in your cupboards you can peruse her site and find all kinds of recipes for any meal your heart desires.

 

The other blog that I love is http://www.ohsheglows.com. I used a lot of her baking recipes for the holidays. While I do not want my family to be overrun with sweets, I also didn’t want to be a total Grinch. Just because you are clean eating doesn’t mean you can’t still eat things that resemble desserts and sweets. Her pumpkin pie squares are amazing and Mia asked to have them with fruit salad for her birthday. The “graham cracker” that is also used for the pumpkin pie crust, is a favorite in our house as a snack with some homemade almond butter slathered on top and a glass of fresh milk.

 

Those are two of my favorite blogs to get ideas for meals, snacks, and grocery shopping lists. I always like hearing what sites other people love. So leave a comment (https://wingingthislife.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/taking-the-overwhelming-out-of-gluten-fre e/) letting us know where you like to find good recipes.

Prayer of Humility

by Charles Belmonte

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Lord Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, 

provided that I may become as holy as I should.

Ministering to Those Who Are Hurting

by Diane Fenlason (Niece of Lois)
Used by permission

 

 This year, I am reading through the Bible chronologically. I also decided to get a journaling Bible (found one on sale at the Christian bookstore last month - YAY!). I'm not an artist, but I love the idea of being able to make notes and highlight specific things I want to remember as I go along.

Reading in Job, there are a few things that jumped out at me this time through; things that I didn't really latch onto before. For instance, we all know that Job's three "friends" are really accusatory toward Job, and we don't like them. We don't like those kind of people in our own lives! 

BUT.....if you pay attention to Job 2:11-13, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar really seemed like they had the best intentions of "being there" for their good friend! 

They had to coordinate the trip, since they all lived in different locations. They were approaching Job's home, and when they saw him from a distance, it broke their hearts! When they finally got to him, they just SAT with him for seven days and seven nights! So...how many of us would do that for a friend? They were just coming along side of him and BEING THERE. When Job finally started sharing from his heart, and was letting his friends know how he was struggling, they just couldn't keep their mouths shut. It's like they couldn't take the pain, so they wanted a fix for it. The problem is, in the process, they completely overlooked God's sovereignty in the situation and made the assumption that they knew God's purpose in allowing Job to suffer.

Here's the scary thing: I easily condemn those three men for how they treated Job and were so judgmental. But, how often do we do the very same thing? It is a gross failure in the art of compassion. We aren't called to judge someone's suffering. We are called to show compassion and lovingly .... LOVINGLY .... speak the truth to them while just BEING there for them, realizing that we don't need to have the answers, but gently pointing them to the One who does! 

We can have the grandest of intentions to minister to someone who is hurting. But let's prayerfully come alongside and not ruin that ministry by trying to act like we need to have the answers for that person.

Triumphal Entry - There Was and There Will Be

by Roy Lessin, Co-founder DaySpring Cards in Siloam Springs, Arkansas - Siloam Springs is also the home of John Brown University!  Contributed by Barb Campbell of Mississippi

There was a time when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem in a most unusual way. John 12

There will be a time when Jesus returns to this earth in a most unusual way. 1 Thes. 4:16

There was a time when He rode upon a young donkey. John  12:14

There will be a time when He rides upon a white horse.  Revelation 19:11

There was a time when He came as the Sacrificial Lamb.  John 1:36

There will be a time when He comes as the Righteous Judge. Revelation 19:11

There was a time when He came humbly and lowly.  Zechariah 9:9

There will be a time when He comes to conquer and make  war. Revelation 19:11

There was a time when palm branches were cast before Him. John 12:13

There will be a time when crowns will be cast before His throne. Revelation 4:10

There was a time when people proclaimed, “Hosanna.”  John 12:13

There will be a time when people proclaim, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him.”  Revelation 5:13

There was a time when the local crowds cried out His praises. John 12:13

There will be a time when people from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation will worship at His feet.  Revelation 5:9

There was a time when a multitude saw His triumphal entry. John 12:12

There will be a time when everyone on earth will see His triumphal return. Revelation 1:7