Grace Spot of the Day

I've started couponing. Yes, I've become "one of those"... you know the one you regret getting behind at the grocery store line, especially when you realize that someone has come behind you in line and you are now trapped... unable to escape. Actually, can I tell you - that might be true of SOME crazy couponers... but not me. Oh no, I'm organized. I have my coupons in order, stacked tidily on top of whatever given item is being purchased. I place dividers between my orders and smile sweetly. Oh sure, my 3 inch binder is in the front of the cart - coupons spilling out the top and my cash is poking out of the "envelope system" we use for cash purchases... but it's all good my friends... because I am saving getting more bang for my buck... and who wouldn't want THAT?!

So I started this a few weeks ago. This last week there were some great deals and I eagerly took advantage of them. I mean, GOOD deals! Anyway - come to find out though, I spent a lil more than I anticipated for the week on groceries and felt a slight sinking feeling in my gut... wondering if I'd made some sort of fiscal mistake... Ever done that? Course you have. You're human. Just like me.

Anyway, today is Sunday, and as is customary a couple papers are purchased and I sit down with scissors in hand - ready to clip and organize my handy dandy Krazycouponlady binder.

Secretly I was hoping the deals wouldn't be great so that I didn't feel the pull and angst of wanting to spend and buy and feeling like I shouldn't spend and buy. As I closed the last ad and flipped the last page of the ONLY insert in the paper (redplum this week) I happily realized I hadn't seen one deal I "had to have", nor clipped ONE coupon that needed to be used for my family.

Now see, on any other given date - I'd have perhaps felt disappointed or annoyed. But, not today. Nope. Today I smiled. It was like God's little gift to me. It was his way of keeping me from obsessing about coupons, trips to the store, organizing my transactions to get the best value, and hours of scouring the internet for more coupons and deals and the like. It's like he gave me the week off. Well, until the Wednesday paper comes out and I get a peek at the local grocery ads that don't run in the Sunday. But by then, I'll have been nearly a week w/o spending on groceries and I'll have a green light to go....

God is gracious to me. He gives me what I need, when I need it. How do I become blind to it so easily??

This month is one of sacrifice in many areas. We just started the DAVE RAMSEY Financial Peace class at our church and the budget that we used before is needing some tweakage (yup, new word). Wouldn't you know it - our heater motor is wacked out and not working? Wouldn't you know it - all the big bills are due this month so we're unable to adopt the new budget yet. Wouldn't it happen that my dryer squeals so badly you can hear it when you drive into the driveway? Yup... it's true.

And I spent a good part of the morning in a pity party. But Eric took me into our room, closed the door, and prayed. Prayed for our hearts. Prayed for our money. Prayed for our lack of money. Prayed that we would stay focused on God and on the blessings He gives daily (and in such abundance).

Was I instantly cured of my wallowing? No - even flippantly said I wasn't convinced ... I'm such a dork, I know. But as the day went by - God showed up and grinned down on me and it was as if he teasingly said, "Now, whatever you do... don't smile daughter.... nope, no, don't do it...."

And whatya know? I ended up grinning back.... just like daughters do to their Daddy's all the time.