My Fergalicious Feet

When it comes to fashion, I'm usually pretty plain.

Or as my sisters call it.....Classic.

It's their nice way of telling me I'm boring.

The nice thing about it is that my clothes can last me years because they don't go out of style very quickly.

This fall I decided that I wanted a pair of skinny jeans and a tall brown pair of boots. You know since skinny jeans have been around for about 4 years now, I figured it wasn't a fad and I could join in. Besides, I have skinny legs, I might as well embrace this fashion trend.

Of course a couple months after I got my brown boots I noticed that the buckle was ripping the leather. So I brought them back to the store.

I won't bore you with the details (since I've bored you enough already) but last Monday I finally got a gift card in the mail to go buy a new pair. If you haven't noticed, this is not prime boot buying season. There is barely anything left because all the sandals are starting to come out.

So armed with my best worst shoe shopping partner ever, Isaac, we set off in search of a new pair. I tried on many pairs but none fit just right. Finally, I found a pair in the clearance section that would do and they were way cheaper than my first pair. Which means I get to go back later and buy another pair of shoes. Bonus!

We headed up to the register and as I stood in line, I looked at the box.

Fergalicious by Fergie.

I almost went and put them back. This plain jane can not be wearing Fergalicious shoes! But the clearance price was so good, so I went against my better judgement and got them.

I now have Fergalicious feet and if you see me out and about some time wearing tall brown boots and I randomly start busting out in awesome dance moves.....you know that those are my new Fergalicious feet. 

A Family of Eucharisteo

Church, God, Jesus, Mom and Dad, Brothers and Sisters, cousins, that the weather is warm, our house, my bed, putting covers on the kids at night.

These are a few things that you will find on the lists of Eucharisteo (Thanksgiving) on the wall in our kitchen.

This past week, we became of a family of Joy Seekers as my husband and children started their list of 1000 Gifts.

Together we share our gratitude and seek joy. I love to see the joy on every one's faces as they read what the others wrote. I love to see their excitement each day to write on their list. I love that together we find joy in God and how He has blessed us.

488 ~ 2 boys that sneak out of their room to give their mom one more hug and kiss before bed

489 ~ Family game of Mario Kart

490 ~ chicken on the grill

491 ~ flowers

492 ~ time at McDonald's with Amanda

493 ~ cleaning up the basement with Brad

494 ~ praying with the kids before they head off to school

495 ~ sun shining and snow melting

496 ~ a good helper at the store while running errands

497 ~ the smell of fresh air on kids after playing outside

498 ~ dinner and Mario Kart with Brad

499 ~ A family counting blessings together and being joy seekers

The Winner!

Thanks so much for all your entries this week. I loved hearing what you are all thankful for! I wish I could give you all a copy of the book but if you didn't win, I encourage you to buy your own copy. It truly is a very good book.

I used Random.org to figure out the winner.

And the winner is Comment #3.

I am thankful for Godly teachers at my sons school.
Nikki

Congratulations Nikki! I hope you enjoy the book!

Giving

Since I wrote about Stewardship last week, and part of being a good steward is giving, I figured that this would be the next logical place to go. I'll be honest, I don't really feel qualified to write on this subject since I am not naturally a giver. But God has been changing my heart in this area lately and I'm slowly learning and changing. My husband is a natural giver, it is his spiritual gift, and I have learned a lot from him. As I've done research on this subject, I've also learned a lot!

Before I go any further, I'd like to share what Larry Burkett writes on Giving in his book The Word on Finances.

Giving should be an outward, material expression of a deep spiritual commitment, an indication of a willing and obedient heart. We should give out of grateful hearts in an attitude of joy. Sacrificial giving is a way to honor God, but it should be the result of a good attitude.

There are 3 basic levels of giving.

1 ~ The Tithe, which means 1/10th. This is the minimum that we should give and the giving of our first fruits. We should be tithing on our Gross income, inheritances, profit made on the sale of a house. Basically, any money that we make. Malachi 3:10 says,"Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house." The storehouse here would be the equivalent of today's church. So, we should give our tithe to the church. There are many verses that speak of tithing. Here are just a few of them. Gen. 4:3-4, Exodus 34:19, Deut. 18:4, Numbers 18:12-13, Nehemiah 10:37-39, Prov. 3:9,10

2 ~ The Offering or Gift. This is what we give above and beyond our tithe to help other people or other organizations. Here are just a few Scriptures that talk about gifts. Exodus 35:5, Ezra 1:6, Ezra 2:69, Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:7.

3 ~ Sacrificial Giving. This is when one gives to the point that they give up things that they want or need in order to help others that have greater needs. It's when you give as the widow gave in Luke 12.

The amount of proof texts that Larry Burkett sites when it comes to giving is unbelievable. Almost 80 pages worth! There is no question that we are called to give, to give generously, and to give cheerfully. Yes, this is going to look different for everyone. Especially since God gives to everyone differently. But when we remember that it is all His, it's easy to want to give instead of just keep it for our own selfish interests.

As a Christian woman, I often look to the Proverbs 31 woman for guidance in who I should be. In verse 20 we find that this model of a Christian woman, "opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy."

"Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty.

Malachi 3:7-11

Some of my favorite stories of sacrificial giving are the ones where people did just this, they tested God.

I remember about a year ago, hearing a man on the radio tell how much he made and that someone had challenged him to give the next year just as much as he made. That year he continued living the same exact lifestyle that he was living and was able to give that same amount away. The next year he increased his giving and he continued every year after that. There was always enough money to keep his lifestyle the same but to give more.

God promises to bless us as we give generously, from our heart. Of course our attitude of 'giving to get' should not be one of selfishness but of 'giving to get' so we can then in turn can continue to give more.

Praise God for all that He has blessed us with and may we have grateful hearts that desire to give back to Him.

My Other Posts on Finances:

Budgeting
What Led Our Family to Budgeting
Stewardship

My Hillbilly Kids

Lunch Dates

Last summer Brad and I started having one on one dates with our kids but it kind of got pushed aside this fall when he was working two jobs.

This month we started them up again. Last week I got to enjoy lunch at Chili's with Alex. (Thanks to kids eat free Tuesdays in February.) Alex even picked out my clothes so that we would be dressed alike.

And Today I got to enjoy lunch at McDonald's with Amanda. She got a Happy Meal, which is a real treat. And if you have more than a couple kids, you know what I'm talking about.

A Giveaway!

On July 15, 2009 I started my list of 1000 gifts and have had 35 posts with 487 items of gratitude and my list continues to grow. I can truly say that through doing this I see the world around me in a different light. I notice the little moments in life that just seem to pass us by, I notice the little gifts that we forget to thank God for and I feel joy in those moments.

Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience has encouraged hundreds, maybe even thousands to begin their list of 1000 gifts.

She has also written a book entitled One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. As soon as it came out I was so excited to buy it. Last week I received my copy in the mail, along with a couple extra copies, and I would love to share one with one of you!

I am about half-way through Ann's book and I can tell you it is definitely life changing! Her words encourage to seek God in everything and through thanksgiving you will find joy.

If you would like to be a joy seeker, I invite you to leave a comment below telling me one thing you are thankful for. And to give you more chances to win, I will let you leave up to 3 comments with items of gratitude. If you want to share more than 3 items, please do, just leave it in 3 comments.

I will leave the giveaway open through Friday and will then pick a winner using random.org. So come back on Saturday to see if you have won.

If you would like to learn more about Ann's book you can go to her blog over at A Holy Experience or you can head over to incourage and join the book club that is currently discussing her book.

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