Saving Cash

Thanks for the post from Sylvester Campbell

We’ve started trying to save money around here because my kids are now both in high school and boy do we need to get a college fund set up. I know it’s something we should have done years ago but you know, at that time we were more concerned about buying our first house or taking the girls to Disney and things like that, not a decade down the road. But the last thing I want is for my kids to graduate from college with mountains of student loan debt like so many of their peers are doing – that’s the worst way for them to start off a new life as adults if you ask me. We’ve taken some steps at home like looking into our energy bills so we can score some Dallas Electric Savings, we’ve been clipping coupons and now my girls know not to ask for new clothes because they’re not going to get it. We made a decision as a family that we weren’t going to take a vacation this year or next so we could put that money into a high yield savings account and you know, I think it’s working so far. My girls are already really responsible and they’ve both got waitressing jobs so they’re saving on their own, too, which is good. I know that when they’re done with college they’ll be thankful for all the sacrifices they’re making now to make for a better future. I really wish we had more to put away each month but you know, we’re doing what we can and every little bit is going to help. I know my girls say they want to work through college anyway and I think that’s a great idea – less time to goof off and get in trouble and more time spent studying and working hard! That’s the work ethic I know my girls have and I can’t wait to see what they make of themselves when they’re all grown up.

This is a sponsored post.

Please Consider This

This is an email that I received yesterday from my cousins Jenny and Greg.  Jenny is Doug's first cousin, and she and Greg live in Wyoming raising 4 children.  This is their word-for-word letter, and I think it is intelligently and thoughtfully written.  I hope and pray you take a moment to read it.

"Please Consider This

To my family and friends,

I’m sending this because I think it is important, and I ask that you please read and consider what I’ve shared.  But, before I begin, I want to sincerely express that I DON’T JUDGE YOU.

If you are pro-choice, please know that I don’t think I’m any better than you, I’m simply at a different place in my life.  I’ve chosen to be here.  We all grow as we learn, we advance in our understandings and we change our minds as we learn there is a reason to do so.  So, if you are pro-choice, I’m asking you to PLEASE consider the following. 

If a woman believes no one else has the right to choose for her, how can she think it is appropriate for her to choose for another (the baby)?  Please think about that for a moment.

We have a voice, but an unborn child has none.  They cannot speak for themselves – they cannot communicate their choice. 

For many, the question is, “When does life being?”  If you still think life begins at birth, please research and consider modern up to date information.  Today’s technology has advanced so much that 3D ultrasounds are like watching a HD video.  I’ve personally watched videos of a baby sucking his thumb, or rubbing his eyes – and you will be shocked to see how early in the pregnancy a baby has little fingers, finger nails, a heartbeat, nerve endings and the ability to feel.  They rub their eyes, hiccup, and suck their thumbs.  How can anyone really conclude unborn babies are not a life?  Ask any Mother of four or more, and she’ll tell you she could detect different personalities in her children based upon their behavior in her womb.  They are a life, and if you will just look at some modern day video footage, I don’t see how any reasonable person could honestly disagree. 

My opinion – I think abortion is the single biggest crime/sin of our time.

In 2008 there were more than 3,300 abortions a day, seven days a week (1.21 million that year alone), just in this country.  While most of us are busy living our lives - not really thinking about or paying attention to what is happening, a mass execution is literally taking place right under our noses. 

Why?

Because, in 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of abortion, we did not have high definition video of a baby in the womb, and still today, many of us have simply never taken a moment to see the new information.

I’m asking you to please take a little time to watch some modern day videos and make your own choice.  The web site www.abort73.com has some good information.  Many of the videos are graphic so you’ll have to decide what you choose to watch, and what you read instead.  It is difficult to see some of it, but it is difficult because it is real, and it is wrong.  Each of us needs to know these facts.  The outcome is too important to ignore or to allow ourselves to be uniformed.  Please take a couple of minutes to look, and then decide what you think is right.

And in closing, I want you to ask yourself, “Who are you going to vote for?”  My conscience dictates that I vote for Romney, after all, how can any Christian justify voting for a pro-choice candidate?  A pro-choice vote equals voting for, and approving of, killing babies.  That might sound harsh, but it is an accurate statement – watch the videos and see if you disagree.

How can the economy, the unemployment rate, taxes, foreign policy, or anything, be more important than aborting over a million innocent babies each year?

I’m voting pro-life, not pro-abortion.

It’s not really about choice.  Pro-choice is a misleading label that confuses what is REALLY the issue.  It is not about choice, it is about life or death.  That is honestly what it distills down to, so let’s not sugar coat it, let’s call it what it is.

Please review and think about the information that is now available, and if you change your mind about being pro-abortion, I hope you’ll join me in giving helpless and innocent babies a voice.   If you already agree with me, I hope this email strengthens your resolve to make a difference.

If you want to make a difference, but don’t know how, please contact me and I’d be happy to share what I’ve learned.

Sincerely,

Greg Smith

Casper, WY"

Greg also said this letter was fine to share, forward, whatever.  So if you feel inclined, please do so.

Thank you.

10 Things That Tell Me I'm Old

10.  I do not recognize any of the bands that I hear mentioned on TV shows like the "X" Factor.  I didn't even know who Demi Lovato was, although I HAVE heard her song Skyscraper.  Don't know where....

9.  I have said at least 50 things to my son that I vowed I would never say to MY child.

8.  I have undoubtedly turned into my mother (see number 9).  Although if you know my mother, that really is NOT a bad thing. (love ya mom)

7.  I understand why my mother (who raised 5 children) used to sit in the living room, in the dark, with no TV on, no radio, not reading anything or talking to anyone, or even sleeping.  And I used to think she was crazy. 

6.  I completely get what it was like to have me for a child.  Mouth running 24 hours a day.  NON-stop.

5.  I have zits and wrinkles at the same time.  There is absolutely NOTHING okay with that!!

4.  For the first time, I colored my hair to get rid of some gray.

3.  I PLUCKED the crap out of my eyebrows because THEY were turning gray.  I used to say, "Pluck my eyebrows? What the heck for?  I don't have a unibrow.  And it HURTS to pluck."  Now, I can't tell you what I say when I DO pluck them because my mother reads my posts. : )

2.  My hips creak louder than the steps do when I go up them.

1.  I have actually said these words while driving, "Turn that music down!  I can't see!"

10 Things I Believe In

I got this blog post idea from MamaKat, because my brain is so fried I sat here staring at my screen wondering what the heck I was going to write about....  So I remembered Mama Kat's writing prompts.  Make sure you check her out....she's awesome!

So.  Here are 10 Things I Believe In:

1.  I believe in God.  I am living proof that He IS.  There is no medical reason I should be alive, let alone functional.  And yet here I am.  I have a beautiful child, a wonderful husband, and my brain still (mostly) works.  I see God in creation around me, in the love of my family, in the hug of a friend, in the face of my child.  I see Him in my home, my life, and my heart.

2.  I believe in Hope.  If I did not have hope, I would not be here.  Simple as that.  Hope keeps me alive.

3.  I believe that you can meet people on the Internet that can either be toxic or terrific.  Thankfully, I have met more of the latter.  I have met others with MG whom I can talk to like best friends who have known each other for decades.   I hate this disease, but I'm so thankful for the people it has brought into my life.

4.  I believe in the sanctity of marriage.  I believe in commitment, loyalty, fidelity and trust in a marriage.  I believe in that because I have that.  And I thank God I do.

5.  I believe in Heaven.  I know that when I die, I will go to heaven, see my God face to face, sing, dance, and feel no pain.  No pain.  No tears.  No MG.  I am so ready.  What about you?

6.  I believe in writing.  I think writing is completely cathartic.  I would be lost if I couldn't write.  Not just my blog, but journals, letters to loved ones... Writing has saved me from many an angry confrontation.  I have written and ripped up or deleted countless letters.  You know the kind...you write you heart and soul down, you rip someone up one side and down the other, and then you feel better.  Love it.

7.  I believe in saying what you mean, and meaning what you say.  If you're not going to do it, don't say you are.  If you say you love me, then walk it out.

8.  I believe in standing up for what you believe in, no matter how unpopular it may be.  I will never cower under someone else's belief system, nor will I change my opinion to make someone else happy.  I am who I am, I believe what I believe, so take it or leave it.

9.  I believe in walking what you talk.  I have strong beliefs and opinions, but I back them up.  If I'm preaching somethin', you better believe I'm doin' it too.  I do NOT believe in hypocrisy, and that is exactly what I would be if I didn't stand behind what I preach.

10. I believe in the power of love.  I believe it can change a person.  I believe that if you really love someone, you will be there for them, you will support them, and you will do whatever you can to make them happy.  I love to love more than I hate to hurt.  So I will love you until you give me reason not to.

Thanks again to MamaKat for some great inspiration!

SO....what do YOU believe in??

A Couple of Funnies

Um, yeah.  Especially today.  MG hangover hard-core.

This one is laugh-out-loud funny, if you ask me.  STILL makes me laugh!

And finally....If this sounds familiar, don't worry.  Hopefully it will all be over very, very soon.

Don't Owe You Anything

The bartender asks the guy sitting at the bar, “What’ll you have?” The guy answers, “A scotch, please.”

The bartender hands him the drink, and says, “That’ll be five dollars,” to which the guy replies, “What are you talking about? I don’t owe you anything for this.”

A lawyer, sitting nearby and overhearing the conversation, then says to the bartender, “You know, he’s got you there. In the original offer, which constitutes a binding contract upon acceptance, there was no stipulation of remuneration.”

The bartender was not impressed, but says to the guy, “Okay, you beat me for a drink. But don’t ever let me catch you in here again.”

The next day, same guy walks into the bar. Bartender says, “What the heck are you doing in here? I can’t believe you’ve got the audacity to come back!”

The guy says, “What are you talking about? I’ve never been in this place in my life!” The bartender replies, “I’m very sorry, but this is uncanny. You must have a double.”

To which the guy replies, “Thank you. Make it a scotch.”.

Hide And Seek

When I was little, I wasn't very good at hide and seek.  I could never be quiet long enough to NOT be found, and I was never patient enough to look for someone who could!  (I know, go figure!)

Well, having Myasthenia Gravis has changed everything about the way I play hide and seek.  Now it's not about being quiet, it's about being just loud enough to blend in.

It's not about finding a really good hiding spot where no one can find you, it's about being in the open, surrounded by people, hiding in plain sight.

I do my hair

and

I put on make-up

and

I try to find clothes that don't say, "Hi, I'm chronically ill and take 40 pills a day, can't ya tell??"

and

I talk and laugh and pretend.

And I hide.

In the wide open.

In plain sight.

Out loud.

I hide.

Catching Up

I am purely ashamed at my lack of posts lately.  Some posts I wrote in my head, and then thought better of publishing... My mouth (or posts in this case) can get me in trouble, so I'm glad my brain is actually AHEAD of the words for once.  Unfortunately, that means I haven't been blogging as much because of that.

However, I'm done censoring myself.  I don't like it.  I'm not diplomatic, I'm not politically correct, my Biblical views probably really annoy the crud out of some people, but ya know what?  I have decided that I thoroughly do. not. care.  I will NEVER purposefully offend someone.  NEVER.  That is from my mouth to God's ear.  I won't do it.  However, if I inadvertently offend someone by expressing MY opinion, oh well.  I'm DONE worrying about it.

Anywho. Enough drama.  I'm just back to being me.  PLUS, seriously, homeschooling is taking WAY more time than I had thought.  AND I have a craft show on November 10 that I have been preparing for.  NOTHING on my jewelry site (www.facebook.com/MGKerriJewelry) is going to the show.  I have over 100 pendants, 100 cell phone lanyards with charms, 100 cell phone dust plugs with charms, and I still have to do more wine glass rings and wine bottle "necklaces."  IIIIIIIIII know.  I'm crazy.

So what else has been going on....

{crickets}

Okay then.

No really....between homeschooling, trying to take care of the house, medical appointments and jewelry, that's pretty much my life.  Oh, and my pen pals and CBI stuff.

Speaking of pen pals, I want to put the link to Christian Pen Pals on here, because I think it's very important.  It's a ministry a lot of home-bound Christians can do.  It's a serious commitment, however, and one not to be entered into lightly.

You can check my sidebar for the link.  Just check it out, go over the guidelines, and see if it's a match for you.  Besides Matthew 25:35, 36 and 40...

"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’....  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’"

...the author of Hebrews (Who is really God, since He authored the whole Bible) tells us in chapter 13:3 to "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."  

I may not be able to GO to a prison or jail and minister to people, but I SURELY can remember them in prayer, and by writing to them.  Of all of society, those incarcerated are probably the most forgotten.  Some of them have NO ONE.  And that breaks my heart. As lonely as I get, at least I have a home and a family.

Anywho.  Enough for now.  I am committing to doing a better job of blogging.  Last year I wrote 175 pages of my book in the month of November, so while I'm not going to do this again this year, I AM going to try and post every single day.

Wish me luck!