Old Dog, New Trick

We went to the Teach Them Diligently conference in NW Arkansas over the weekend. It's been several many years since we attended one, so we really needed it as we are heading into teens this year and high school in a year and a half.

That was all good and well, but God actually wanted us there for parenting. 

Isn't it interesting that when we are looking for something to change a person or situation, it's often us God wants to change?

So, it was an encouraging, informative, convicting and entertaining weekend. Yes, things can be convicting and entertaining at the same time...at least in my book.

So, hubby and I came back having repented and realizing we needed to make some changes. We were good.

...but then something happens and you've got to put the new pedal to the old metal.  

It's all great when it's fresh and theoretical, but then when your child actually needs some issues majorly addressed, it's actual work!

It would be easy to fall into routine, but we haven't (so far, thankfully).  We decided to think and pray before we address it instead of just coming down on her which is what we often did. 

I'm also choosing not to deal with it in fear of her response or what others will think, but instead, in faith that God has promised a great plan for mija and this is just one of the lessons/bumps that will lead her into her future purpose (and her current purpose for that matter!).

So pray for us as we consider how to handle this new issue now that we have to be responsible for the new lessons God has taught us!

Saved 84% yesterday

Went to our "big city" about 35 minutes away to do some couponing yesterday. I purchased $100 worth of stuff for only $16! Not bad and worth the gas.

I did Krogers, CVS, and Walgreen stops, matched coupons with sales, and applied some online rebates through Ibotta and such, but what was really interesting was that there were actually two mail-in rebates. I haven't seen those in years.
One is for the Right Guard Xtreme Precision Dry Spray. It's only available through purchases at CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid. You have to purchase by the March 31 and postmark by April 15.
The second mail in Rebate was for a Swartzkopf Gliss Product. It's not store specific and needs to be postmarked by January 15, 2018.
Remember to do any online rebates before these because you need to mail in the receipts with the mail-in rebates.

Homeschool Freebies

 It's time for the annual freebie directory from The Old Schoolhouse magazine.

Excuse my daughter's long legs
in the picture!

I recently received a lot of free science magazines from Natural Inquirer (get the play on words?)  I requested a sample pack and was surprised by the extent of what I received!I requested the middle school selection. Get your free science magazines HERE. Warning: not necessarily a Biblical worldview but still informative information.

Lastly today, my friend shared a new freebie from Nat Geo. It's free, printable, topography maps. You can select where you want in the United states, and it will print 5 PDF pages up for you which includes:  

• Page 1 is an overview map showing the topo in context
• Pages 2 through 5 are the standard USGS topo cut in quarters to fit on standard printers

Find your Nat Geo topography maps HERE

Praise God even in the Duh moments!

We had a blessed weekend attending the Teach Them Diligently Conference in NW Arkansas. I had many encouraging moments, aha moments, entertaining moments, convicting moments and one major...

DUH moment.

You see, I had dropped hubby off at the convention center for a men's breakfast while I went back to the motel to close up shop.

I was carrying out my big bag with the car keys in one hand and the motel room key card in the other. I desperately wanted to remember that key card because I didn't want to be locked out of the room.

Everything went well for the motel room card key. I was able to get back into the room easily to finish the last looks which is usually hubby's job. You know the job of looking through the room to make sure nothing was left behind (and all the free soaps and coffee were packed).

I did well...
                     until I went for the car keys...

I ransacked the room and purse looking for the car keys--the only set of car keys I might add.

They were no where...
                        except probably the trunk.

I went into full blown "Bapti-costal" prayer mode. "LORD, pleeeeeese let me find the keys. LORD, hubby doesn't have his phone. I don't want to miss the last day of the conference. LORD, please don't make me spend money for a locksmith. PLEEEEEEEESE, Father!"

Me with the pesky keys

It came to me; at least one part of the backseat folds down to allow access to the trunk.

Literal praise of God at this moment.
More grumbling than praising occurred as this 200+ pound woman in a maxi skirt attempts to remove all the trash that had been pushed to the back of the trunk (which was now the front of the trunk from my perspective), remove my husband's bag which he lovingly had loaded prior to the breakfast and attempt to reach my bag which was in the front of the trunk which was now the back of the trunk.

About 10 minutes into this adventure, I realized the rest of the backseat also folded down which made the last few minutes of this process much easier yet undoubtedly still a praise the Lord worthy moment.

I was so excited!  Definite praise going on as I jumped up and down, raised my hands in the air and
posted on the TTD app to share this praise worthy moment.

My husband finished the breakfast and I had to share this with him as well. After all, God deserved praise for what He did.

Instead of falling on his knees in adoration for what God did for his wife, my husband looked at me calmly and said...

"Why didn't you just push the trunk button under the dashboard?"

I sat dumbfounded with egg obviously dripping from my face. My forehead was red from my hand slapping my forehead saying, "DUH!"

The trunk button?

Throughout the rest of the day, I pondered this massive DUH moment and I came up with a few thoughts.

• Sometimes, your spouse really can see through the emotions and turmoil to see an obvious (and often much easier in a skirt) answer.
• Sometimes, there are really easy actions that can fix a really serious problem. Serious does not always equal hard.
• Praise God anyway. Even though the more challenging answer came to my mind, I have no doubt that God helped me through the situation. Maybe even more so because He had to help me through my DUH; even though He was probably sitting on His thrown with a little smile thinking....

                                         ....just push the button, precious.