Savor

 Savor; Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are by Shauna Niequist is a daily devotional, yet so much more.

I read Niequist's book Bread & Wine last year and enjoyed it. She has a lovely way of writing and her descriptions take you there. The same carries over to this devotional - less preachy and more "conversation around the table".

Recipes are included as well, "because spiritual living happens not just when we read and pray, but also when we gather with family and friends over dinners and breakfasts and late-night snacks." And also because Niequist is a "foodie", so putting her heart and soul into this devotional means to bring it back to the table.

Can I just talk about the actual book as well? We may be taught not to judge a book by it's cover but it was love at first sight for me. It's a hefty size and a sturdy book. The pages are beautiful, an attached ribbon for marking your place, and a layout that is perfect. I savor the book alone for those facts! ;) It looks like the perfect book for gift giving as well (hint, Mother's Day is coming up!) and is beautiful enough that you will want to show it off on an end table or carry it around with you. 

I look forward to including this in my morning routine. 

This book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion.

Grocery Update

I've done both good and bad with my grocery shopping and budgeting. 

Bad because I still haven't kept track of how much groceries are costing us weekly.

Good because I have made changes for the better.

One of the biggest changes is shopping mainly from the sales flyer each week and stocking up on the loss leaders. Eggs were on sale for 99 cents a dozen so I got 4 dozen. Butter was $1.29 (or was it $1.59? Either way, it was cheap!) so I got the limit of two. When it's a good deal, I'm grabbing and stocking up on several to last us until the next sale.

The biggest change for us is that we make a few trips a month to the local Amish salvage store. What is that, you ask? When a grocery store has items damaged in shipping (dented cans and boxes) or close to expiration dates they often send them to "salvage" where businesses can buy large boxes often by the pound and resell them. While you have to watch closely for the expiration dates (I don't mind a month or two expired as "best buy" dates are often just suggestions) the deals there can not be beat.

The nice thing about this store is that items come from all over the country, so you can find things that you can't buy anywhere locally. You never know what you will find so if there is something awesome I grab them all! 

For example, my last shopping trip netted:

*R.W. Knudsen Organic Blueberry Pomegranate Juice for 75 cents a bottle. I know that our local health food store sells this brand for over $4 a bottle. The expiration date is not until 2016 so I bought all 8 bottles they had.

*A 12 bar package of Clif Kid Z organic brownie Bars for 75 cents. Expiration date of Sept 2015 and the box just slightly dented.

*Celestial Tea boxes. These are "holiday flavors" such as Sugar Plum Spice and Pumpkin Spice. They don't expire until 2016. I bought all the boxes they had, probably 10 in total for 50 cents each. 

*Deliciously Organic Better Baking Blend (Coconut and Cane Sugar). Doesn't expire until July and was just 50 cents for a pound of it. I bought the two bags they had.

*Annie's Organic whole wheat shells and extra cheesy cheddar sauce. 75 cents a box and expired a month. My kids like mac and cheese for lunch sometimes so I bought all 10 boxes they had. These sell for over $2 a box at the store. I think more like $3 since they are the creamy deluxe version.

*Starbucks and Green Mountain Ground Coffee for $3 and $2.50 a bag.

This is just a sampling of what I have bought there. For example...I have chicken in the crockpot for supper and topped it with a jar of natural salsa I bought there for 65 cents. I will add in the Zataran's Red Beans and Rice mix that I bought for 30 cents a box. It will be rolled into a tortilla and topped with cheese for a very inexpensive supper.

Next step is to keep track of my weekly spending. We shall see how that goes! ;)
 

The World Before Us

The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter sounded like my type of book. 


"When she was just fifteen, smart, sensitive Jane Standen lived through a nightmare: she lost the sweet five-year-old girl she was minding during a walk in the woods. The little girl was never found, leaving her family, and Jane, devastated. Now the grown-up Jane is an archivist at a small London museum that is about to close for lack of funding. As her one last project, she is searching the archives for scraps of information related to another missing person--a woman who disappeared some 125 years ago from a Victorian asylum. As the novel moves back and forth between the museum in contemporary London, the Victorian asylum, and a dilapidated country house that seems to connect both missing people, it unforgettably explores the repercussions of small acts, the power of affection, and the irrepressible vitality of everyday objects and events."

It was just so hard to get into, and by page 100 I decided to just be finished with it. The sad thing is that the story itself was quite interesting. I liked learning things about the museum and the asylum. 

But the narration is done by a group of spirits. And while that could have turned it into a very interesting book (I love looking into the spiritual realm) I only got confused instead. I never knew who was who, what was what, and felt lost the whole way through. By page 50 I started to skim and continued to lose interest. I can't finish a book that leaves me feeling so lost on the dialog. 

This book was sent to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.   
 

Links I'm Loving

Yesterday I saw this post on my Facebook feed and thought it was quite the perfect post for an Easter Sunday. What better day to preach love than on Easter when Jesus rose again, after being crucified for all of us. Jesus is love. Let us emulate that love for others. 

The post isn't so much about gay marriage, but rather to leave judging to God and instead love people no matter what. A reminder for us all (myself included).

I love this post about the couple who leaves a yearly gift in honor of the brother he/she lost years ago. Keeping his memory alive with kindness.

This bike! I found it on clearance at our local Walmart...for $70! I've been cruising the town on it and loving it for quick trips to the post office, library, grocery store, etc. 

Grilled cabbage? Sounds weird, tastes delicious! 

This quote from C.S. Lewis and picture from Google images. So, so true.   

For the Faithful

What better day to review a new religious subscription box but Good Friday? For the Faithful is a new-to-me box that will encourage you monthly with a wide range of products for any believer. 

The theme for the March box is a reminder of God's love for us! 

Footprints by Margaret Fishback Powers is a nice hardcover book filled with scripture with reflections inspired by the best-loved poem. Beautiful pictures inside and this would make a perfect coffee table or end table book.

The Creation DVD told by Amy Grant. Ages 6 and up.

An adorable bracelet with Rejoice in the LORD always (Phil. 4:4). I would wear this myself but think I will stick it in Becca's Easter basket instead.

An adorable little pink notebook with "You are precious to God and He loves you (Isa. 43:4)" on the front. I like to carry a notebook with me to write anything and everything inside so I will stick this in my purse.

FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Heb. 11:1) magnet.

A heavy "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16) cross.

This fit the theme wonderfully and was a great variation of useful items. While this would be a great box for myself, I also see gifting this for a few months (prices start at $13.99 a box if you opt for the longer subscription). This would be great for someone newly confirmed or baptized, a Christian you know who is going through a difficult time, or just a monthly surprise for someone you love! Use the code $SAVENOW for $4 off your first box! 

This box was sent to me by For the Faithful in exchange for my honest review.
 

Go Ahead, Regret It!

One form or another of this saying occasionally pops through my Facebook feed after one of my friends shares it.

The first time or two I saw it I almost agreed with it. Big or small, our life choices bring us to who we are this very moment. 

But then I thought, regrets aren't bad things. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't want to be married to, be friends with, or be someone who never regretted a thing in their life. The verb definition of regret is:

To feel sorry, disappointed, distressed, or remorseful about.

It doesn't mean that one has to live in the past. Or that one has to beat themselves up over something. But it does mean, that as a mature individual, it is possible (as well as healthy) to look back at a situation and wish we had done things differently. Chosen a different path. Not done something in the first place.

Isn't not having regret or empathy one of the signs of a psychopath? 

What is your first thought when reading that quote?
 

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