Another part of my Anything Prayers........

 Sooo.......a while back I alluded to something that we did as a family that involved a tough sacrifice.....especially for me.  This above picture is a part of that sacrifice we made.  You see this shelving unit?  Yeah....this is a result of many, many, many months of coupon cutting, watching and studying adds, saving money here and spending it there.....to provide food for our family.  If you like it is "my part" that I do to help our family.  We have always worked....at least for the last 13 years in the ministry and umm...that is code for non profit.....in other words you don't make a whole lot. 

It's all good.  I have never worried.  God has always provided!  ALWAYS!!!!  So here is the deal.  Why am I soooo protective of my "stash"???  OYE!!! 

So I read the book Anything....you can read about this HERE!!!!  It was AWESOME and INSPIRING!!!!

 Then I got a phone call about Feeding Children Everywhere and how my little ol blog post helped God create a WHOLE NEW OFFICE for them.....creating MILLIONS of more people to be fed!!!  WOW- blown away doesn't even come close!!!  If you didn't read about it....you can go HERE.

When I got that call.....I knew.....I knew God had been stirring in my heart about a devotion my hubby wanted to do.  I dragged my feet about it.....a little bit ummmm A LOT!  It happens to be the first devotional from Amazing Adventures Creative Connections and Daring Deeds- 40 Ideas that put feet to your Family's Faith by Time and Alison Simpson :). 

 The devotional asks you what your prized possession is.....So daddy got his phone,

 Abigail said her pictures of her with her biological mom, Andrew brought a new devotional book he was given at camp, Joanna brought a doll, Jonathan brought his teddy we gave him before he came home, Sarah bought..oh dear I have forgotten sorry, Elizabeth brought a toy, Matthew brought his Bible, Joshua couldn't think of something right that moment, and I just said.....all my pictures of our family through the years........

Then as the devotional goes on.....it says to give away ALL of your stored food items.  ALL OF THEM.... for some this may not be much, but umm.....for us.....this was A LOT!!!!

 And that is when it hit me like a ton of bricks.  This has been a source of accomplishment for me.  A source of pride.  An idol.  Silly....maybe.  It was a lot of time invested, savings- I could tell you what I spent on pretty much every item on the shelves, and I could tell you that we have saved sooo much.  I could also tell you that it meant.....too much.  After all God provided it all- NOT ME! 

Some of you will think I am crazy, it's all good....been called that a million times.  Some of you may not understand, but you see when you think something is sooo important and you cling to it more than your security in God- it is an IDOL!  I do NOT write this to brag about what we did.  I come more out of shame of admitting to my idol.  I felt horrible that I had let it get that way. 

I have to tell you though......whatever your Anything is....or whatever you idol is.......letting it go seems hard in the beginning, but once you do let it go, lay it down.......WOW DOES IT FEEL INCREDIBLE!!!!!!  As in a renewed sense of deep bond with my personal Savior!!!!  A whole new feeling of freedom in HIM!!!!  A fresh outlook on what it means to rely on HIM!!!!!!

Another part of this......was that we did not have a lot of extra cash floating around this month.  Ummmm....as in this was a tighter month.  We had some things break - our dishwasher, doctors bills, etc. that have added up.  To mean that this month was going to be more of a no frills month!!!  As in we didn't buy frills.  OK I gave in and bought a few things that were literally not food items that were necessary- a new dressing I loved, and a couple of bags of chocolate.  So see.....even in a no frills month for us.....we still had "some extra money".  Funny how my definition of no frills and others definition is different huh? 

So along with all of this....it has made me think sooo much more about how I view food buying.  How I decide what is really necessary.  What we really need.  How I can balance "stockpiling" with couponing to save us money and how we as a family can bless others too!!!  A whole new perspective. 

 So the following pics have nothing to do with anything, except some silly pictures of our Joanna climbing into Michael's bouncy chair that they are both too big for now.  Silly girl!

I want to tell you about God's provision as well.  You  see the reason we were able to afford even those few extra items for our anniversary, etc. this month was......God provided.  AS HE ALWAYS HAS!!!  When you open yourself up to HIM more.....HE never fails to open your eyes to HIM in whole new ways!  So this month for the first time ever I created a month's worth of menu so we only bought what we needed....we received a gift card rebate from something we bought- finally got it back....this month, we got our tax return from Louisiana, we received a few bags of groceries from a person that Jason knows at work!!! AMEN, we took in our change jar and got the cash, we got gift cards for ice cream from the parade :) yummy, we got 4 bags of clothes that are from this same person Jason knows from work- and they happen to be our boys' next size they will be growing into!!!, we were told a certain medical bill we were expecting- ended up not costing ANYTHING, and finally.....we were told that Jason's insurance will be lowered this month!!!!!!  WAHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!  Which then provided for that new food processor so we can save additional money!!!! 

 It is like we get ourselves in a "pickle" like Joanna.  We are caught in this treadmill thinking a certain way about something.  We are so intrigued we climb in even though we shouldn't.  We then try to get out, but can't on our own.  We need our loving Father's help.  So he lovingly reaches out His arms and picks us up.  And we are SET FREE!!!!!

 I encourage all of you to really examine.....what are the most important things in your home to you?  Not jokingly....for real.  Why?  What would happen if God asked you to give that up?  What would that involve or look like?  I guarantee when you do......HE WILL SET YOU FREE!!!!!

AMEN!!!  And ummm....is this not the cutest face or what?  This is what happens when you give Joanna a yogurt :)

**Please continue to pray for decisions we are making.  (again this has nothing to do with another adoption or a move)  We just want clear guidance as to what steps to take and when.  THANK YOU!!!!!!!