Lists

Today, while I was browsing Pinterest, I came across a very convicting pin. If you're on Pinterest, then more than likely you've come across a pin that says "I will fall for a boy who will:" and then lists things that most girls typically want a guy to do for or with them. Well, this pin is almost exactly the same, except with one major difference. That list of things is scribbled over in red, and in big, black, bold letters it says, "love Jesus more than he loves me." It was a great reminder that as Christians, we should be sure that Jesus is always first in all of our relationships.

As a single Christian young lady, I should be careful to make sure that I look for, and fall for, a man who loves God and desires to keep Him at the center of our relationship. There's nothing wrong with making out lists of things that I want in a boyfriend/future husband, but at the very top of that list should be that he has a love for God and a desire to serve Him.

If God is not first in all of our relationships, whether they be boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, friendship, or family relationships, then our priorities are all wrong. That relationship will not be what it could, and should, be. If God is first in all of our relationships, then our relationships will honor Him and we will reflect Him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope that you're enjoying time with family and friends this Thanksgiving. Don't eat too much turkey!!

Thanksgiving is so commercialized now that often we forget the real reason why we celebrate it. It's the one day a year where everyone gathers together and celebrates and remembers what they are thankful. On the very first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims remembered this, even though they'd had a long, hard year, and to all appearances, didn't have much to be thankful for. They'd lost family and friends, both on the voyage over and once they'd arrived and begun to settle. They'd had the struggles of trying to adapt to a new place and build a colony. Yet they still found reasons to be thankful. If they found something to be thankful for, and thought it enough of a reason to celebrate, then shouldn't you and I also be able to find something to be thankful for, and celebrate it?

I have experienced so many blessings this year and have so many reasons to be thankful that it would take forever to list them all, so I'm just going to list a few of the things that I am thankful for.

1. Friends-I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends. I honestly don't know what I would do without them. They are always there for me to encourage and help me. I work with some of my best friends, which makes my job more enjoyable. Although they can be pretty goofy at times, that's what makes them so much fun to be around! I'm also thankful that they are Godly friends who encourage me to do right and and encourage me in the things of God.

2. Family-I love my family. My parents have always provided for me, and helped me out when I needed it. They've given me advice and helped me as I've gotten out on my own. My sister is honestly one of my best friends. Although we fought a lot when we were younger, she is someone that I look up to and admire. Sadly, she lives in North Carolina, so I don't get to see her much, but she's still there for me whenever I need her. My brother-in-law is an awesome guy. I couldn't have asked for a better guy for my sister. Although he can be rather geeky at times, he completely fills his role as a brother by teasing me and giving me a hard time.

3. My job-I love my job. I honestly do. I love what I do, and I love (most of) the people that I work with. I have a great supervisor who is also a Christian, and I love working for her. With so many people out of work these days, I am so thankful that I have a job. I don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay my bills, or where my next meal is going to come from. I am blessed to have such a great job.

4. My salvation-I am so thankful that I have a Savior who came and died on the cross so that I could live forever in Heaven with God. I'm thankful that God saved a sinner like me.

5. God's leading in my life-This past year God has done a great work in my life. He took me from a rebellious girl who was questioning God and didn't want anything to do with God or Christianity to a girl who is "all in" for Him and desires to serve Him and please Him with everything I do. In the past few months especially, I have seen God working in me. I mentioned in my last post that I was thinking about going back to college. Well, after much prayer, I have decided to attend Liberty University Online and major in Psychology. I will be starting classes in the Summer of 2012, and am so excited!

Like I said earlier, these are just a few of the things that I am thankful for. There is so much more that I could list. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Decisions

So, I've been thinking about going back to school. Actually, "going" isn't exactly the right term, because I'd be taking classes online, probably through Liberty University. This really came as a surprise to me, as until recently, if anyone asked me if I had any desire to go back to college I would answer them with a very affirmative "no!"

Until recently, I wasn't really sure what I would go back to school for. I didn't know I wanted to do. I love what I currently do (data entry/administrative assistant), so I couldn't think of what I would ever want to go back to school for. However recently God seems to be leading me to go back to school for Psychology, with a focus in either crisis counseling or Christian counseling. That probably comes as a surprise to many of you that know me, as I'm not known for being outgoing or good at talking to people that I don't know. I love people, though, and I love helping people, and if this is truly what God wants for me, then I'm willing to do it.

Several years ago I surrendered to full-time Christian service, doing whatever God wanted me to do. I always assumed that it would come in the form of marrying a pastor, youth pastor, evangelist, or missionary. Now I'm realizing that maybe God has another plan of how to use me. I may still end up marrying someone who is in the ministry, but with a counseling degree God can use me in the ministry in other ways as well. There is a need for Christian counselors, and if this is what God wants me to do, I'll do it.

None of this is set in stone yet, obviously. I still need to do a lot of praying about it. Going back to school is a big decision. Working and going to school at the same time is tough. Last time I did it, I ended up having a lot of health problems. This is not a decision that I'm going to take lightly. It's a big commitment, requiring a lot of time and money.

I will definitely keep y'all update on whatever I decide, once I decide. Until then, I would appreciate your prayers about this decision!

Favorite Friday: Thanksgiving Traditions

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week already? I sure can't! It seems like this year has flown by! In honor of Thanksgiving, I chose it as the topic for this favorite Friday.

Thanksgiving hasn't typically been a big deal in my family, so we don't have many traditions. Because of that, I think the traditions we do have mean even more to me.

1. Our longest-standing Thanksgiving tradition would definitely be the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. For as long as I can remember, my sister and I would sit on the couch and watch it. Dad would often watch it with us. Even now that I'm an adult and have my own place, I still plan on watching it this Thanksgiving. It just wouldn't be the same if I didn't.

2. Christmas at Thanksgiving was a tradition in my family for many years. We would have my dad's side of the family over and celebrate Christmas with them on Thanksgiving Day. It was easier to get them all together at Thanksgiving than during the busy month of December. My Granny and PawPaw would come over early in the day, bringing with them presents for all the grand kids under the age of 18 along with lots of food. Throughout the day my aunts and uncles and their families would arrive, each bringing some food to contribute to the meal. We usually ended up with enough food to feed a small army!
While we waited for everyone to arrive, the men and kids would go down to the basement rec room and play pool, ping pong, and foosball while the women stayed upstairs and got everything ready to eat. Once everything was ready, we'd all gather in the dining room where all the food was laid out buffet style on the table. Dad would pray for the food, then everyone dug in.
Once everyone had finished eating, it was tine to open the presents. Granny would hand out the presents, starting with the youngest and ending with the oldest. We always got an ornament and at least one other thing from her and PawPaw. After all the gifts had been handed out and opened and thank you's had been said, everyone scattered to basement, family room, or living room to play and talk.
Sadly, now all of us "first-generation" grandkids (For the longest time it was just nine cousins and my sister and I, but when I was 8 the "second-generation" started coming along, which is made up of my four younger cousins) are over 18 and everyone's scattered across the country, it's no longer possible to get everyone together, so this tradition has come to an end. It will always hold the most special Thanksgiving memories for me.

3. Last year, with my sister and brother-in-law unable to make it home due to work schedules and my mom having to work, my parents and I started a new tradition of going out to eat for Thanksgiving. Last year we went to Tee Jaye's Country Place and this year we're going to Stacey's Hometyle Buffet. It's nice to not have to worry about making (and cleaning up after) a huge dinner, but still enjoy good food.

4. Another tradition that I started last year is Black Friday shopping. I know technically it's an after-Thanksgiving tradition, but close enough. Last year was the first year I'd ever gone, and I loved it. I was able to get all most of my Christmas shopping done in that one day and I got some really good deals. I plan on going again this year, and I can't wait!

5. The final Thanksgiving tradition is another old one. Sometime during the weekend of Thanksgiving, we always watch Miracle on 34th Street (the 1994 version). It was always the movie that we used to officially kick off the Christmas Season. This is a tradition I hope to continue, even once I get my own family.

Well, that's all of my Thanksgiving traditions. What are some of yours? I'd love to hear about them!

Book Review: Ascent from Darkness by Michael Leehan

This book is the true story of one man's journey from Satanism to Christianity. Michael does not mince words as he describes his involvement in the dark arts. His story will amaze you with how God saved him from a life controlled by Satan & his demons into a life filled with service for God. This book will really open your eyes to the reality of Satan & his demons and their power, but also shows that the power of God is greater.

I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it. It gripped me from the very first chapter. Although some of the things that he describes are shocking and disturbing, it didn't stop me from wanting to keep reading it. From the cutting and blood sacrifices to the missions assigned to Michael, this book makes it apparent that Satan is very much present in this world, and will stop at nothing to destroy the people of God.

The thing that amazed me the most was Michael's journey of redemption. God used the mission assigned to Michael by Satan, to kill Pastor Craig Groeschel, to bring Michael to Him. It shows how God controls every circumstance in our lives and really can, and does, use Satan's plans of evil for His good.

This book is not for the faint of heart or for the young Christian. Some of the things that Michael does will a Satanist, such as the cuttings and blood sacrifices, are described in great detail. He also describes instances where he was, heard, or felt spirits in the room with him.

While reading about the reality of the spiritual darkness that is in the world can be rather scary, Michael continually points out and reassures us that God's power is greater. At the end of the book you will look back in awe at God's transforming power. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book at any Christian I know.

Note: The publisher provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. This is no way influenced my review. Everything contained in the review is my own opinion.

31 Days of Thankfulness: Love

Today I chose a song that is about something that I am thankful for rather than a song specifically about thankfulness. I have two reasons for doing this. First, there's only so many songs out there about thankfulness, and, secondly, the emphasis of these posts isn't really about thankfulness itself, but more about what I'm thankful for.

I am thankful for...
94. A God who loves me no matter what I do.
95. Beautiful fall weather
96. Knowing that I have so many things to be thankful for
97. A lazy weekend of laying around and relaxing
98. Chocolate Caramel Mocha

31 Days of Thankfulness: Blessings

Another song for you all. The first time I heard this song I was on my way to work, listening to the local Christian Radio station. When I got home, I looked up the lyrics, then promptly forgot about the song. The next Sunday, someone sang this song at church, bringing it back to my mind. I once again looked up the lyrics, but this I time I really looked at them and read them and thought about what they meant. I encourage you t do the same. Although this song isn't directly about thankfulness, it kind of echoes what I've said about being thankful for the trials in our lives.

I'm thankful for...

87. Knowing that Black Friday is only 6 weeks from today!

88. Finding pictures of my great-grandma's 90th birthday party that i thought had been deleted

89. Two of my friends getting married today (Congrats Jon & Bethany!)

90. Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches (yum!)

91., 92., & 93. Coffee, chocolate, and a good book

31 Days of Thankfulness: Thankfulness

I thank God for this day,

For the sun in the sky,

For my mom and my dad,

For my piece of apple pie!

For our home on the ground,

For His love that's all around,

That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

I'm glad for what I have,

That's an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,

'Cause He listens to my prayers,

That's why I say thanks every day!

-Thankfulness Song by Veggie Tales

I'm going to post a song about thankfulness every day this week for my 31 Days of Thankfulness series. I will try my best to include a YouTube clip of the song so that you all can hear it, but, unfortunately, I couldn't find a decent video of this song so I just posted the lyrics.

I'm thankful for...

82. Freedom to worship God
83. Praying with my supervisor every day at the beginning of the shift
84. Making plans with my mom for a girls night
85. Finding out what one of my Christmas presents is (no, I didn't peak! I'm just really good at guessing)
86. Knowing that Christmas is only 2 1/2 months away!

31 Days of Thankfulness: Praise You In This Storm

This song is one of my favorites by Casting Crowns, and it fits in so well with the topic of thankfulness. A part of praise is thankfulness, because, after all, things we're thankful for are things that we should be praising God for. As I've mentioned before, we should be thankful even for the trials and storms in our lives, as oftentimes those are the periods in our lives that bring the most blessings and make us even more thankful for what we have.

I'm thankful for...

77. Time spent with friends.

78. Eating some delicious pulled pork, one of my favorite meals which I haven't had since my last visit to NC

79. The Bible training that I was given in college. Though I may not agree with everything I was taught, I am still thankful for the training I received.

80. Being able to watch the Buckeye's game without having to go over to someone's house

81. The Buckeyes winning a Big Ten game for the first time this season!

31 Days of Thankfulness: Unexpected Blessings

"Give thanks for unexpected blessings already on their way." -Native American Saying


Evidently I need to pay a little more attention next time I schedule posts. You see, somehow I scheduled this post for next month, instead of this past Thursday. Same things happened with the posts that were supposed to go up on Friday and Saturday. So, in order to keep from flooding you with four posts in one day, I'm going to put up two posts today (this post & today's post) and just rearrange the rest of the posts to schedule at a later time.

I am thankful for...

72. Getting cable installed so I can watch football and basketball games
73. Getting a big fat paycheck from work overtime last week
74. Being able to leave work early-for-me (same time as everyone else) twice in one week
75. Fulfilled prophecies that show Jesus is truly the Messiah
76. Notes from a friend that make me smile

31 Days of Thankfulness: More Than I Deserve

Source: thegirlwhoworeyellow.tumblr.com via Tammy on Pinterest

I am thankful for...

 67. Forgiveness
68. Payday coming exactly when I need it
69. A God who loves me.
70. A supervisor who encourages me in my walk with the Lord.
71. Breakfast with friends

31 Days of Thankfulness: Richly Blessed

I asked God for strength, that I may achieve,

I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey…

I asked for health, that I might do greater things,

I was given infirmary, that I might do happier things…

I asked for riches, that I might be happy,

I was given poverty, that I might be wise…

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,

I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God…

I asked for all things that I may enjoy life,

I was given life, that I may enjoy all things…

I got nothing that I asked for- but everything I had hoped for;

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among the most richly blessed.

- An Unknown Confederate Solider

This poem isn't necessarily about thankfulness in that the words thankful and grateful aren't mentioned in it, but this poem reminds of something very important. It reminds us that we are richly blessed, and that is something to be thankful for. It also reminds us that although we may not get everything we ask God for, He gives us what He knows we need, and for that we should be grateful.

I am thankful for...

67. Being able to work with other believers

68. Finding out today that one of our new supervisors is a Christian.

69. Seeing the excitement and zeal of a friend for Christ.

70. The encouragement of knowing that unbelievers see something different about me & want to know what it is.

71. Seeing direct answers to specific prayers.

31 Days of Thankfulness: The Greatest Virtue

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. -Marcus Tullius Cicero\

I am thankful for...

61. Allergy medication (my allergies have been driving me nuts the past few days!)

62. Homemade brownies

63. Crazy coworkers who make the night more exciting

64. No overtime this week, which means a 3 day weekend!

65. Facebook posts by friends that seem to be just what we needed to hear.

66. Friends who remind you to be careful what you say about others.

Note: This was supposed to post yesterday afternoon, but I messed up when I scheduled it, so here's yesterday's post today.

31 Days of Thankfulness: In Everything

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:18

I'm thankful for...

56. A wonderful church service
57. A good (although short) chat with my mom
58. Extra sleep
59. Afternoon naps
60. Time spent in the Word, both at church and on my own

31 Days of Thankfulness: Thorns & Rosess

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses. - Alphonse Karr

So many times we think of only the good things, the roses, in our life when we're counting what we're thankful for. That's only natural, of course, as those are the first things that pop into our minds when we think of thankfulness. However, we should also be thankful for the bad things, the thorns, in our lives. After all, every thorn has a rose. Every bad thing that happens in our lives happens for a reason. Many times that bad things bring blessings that we never would have experienced otherwise. So next time you're tempted to complain about all the "thorns" in your life, think of the "roses" that those thorns have, and be thankful for them.

I'm thankful for...

69. Weekend that allow for catching up on sleep

70. Finding some cute fall shirts for work

71. Chocolate!

72. Blogs that let me keep up on the lives of friends and family who live far away.

73. Discovering some new Christian bands.

74. Knowing that this the last Saturday I have to miss a Buckeye game because of not having cable

75. Gas prices going down

31 Days of Thankfulness: Without Thankfulness

"Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road." -John Henry Jowett

The quote that I shared with you all today really made me stop and think. Maybe one of the things we should be thankful for is thankfulness itself. Without thankfulness, what would we have? If we went through life without ever be thankful, it would be a pretty sad and miserable life. We would never realize just how blessed we are to have all that we have. Next time you're having trouble being thankful, think back to this quote, and realize just how much thankfulness brings to your life. 

I'm thankful for...

56. Fall candles that make my apartment smell amazing

57. A good chat over the phone with my dad on the way home this morning

58. Getting off on time!

59. News that more overtime is coming up

60. Waking up to a nice text message

61. A good book (and time to read it!)

62. the weekend!

63. Sleeping in

64. Friends blowing up my phone with goofy texts that make me laugh till I'm crying

65. A cold snap which killed off a lot of allergens, which means I can now open my windows!

66. Knowing that a friend is spending her birthday in heaven even though we miss her here on earth.

67. An opportunity for one of my friends to witness to one of the security guards at work.

68. A new manager at work who means business about putting a stop to some problems that are going on.

31 Days of Thankfulness: "Thankful"

Today in addition to sharing what I'm thankful for, I thought I'd share this song about thankfulness. Josh Groban is one of my favorite artists, his song "Thankful" really sums up what I've realized in just the few days that I've been posting about thankfulness. There really is so much to be thankful for.


I'm thankful for..

47. Running into a friend I hadn't seen in a while.
48. Overtime at work
49. Payday!!!
50. A nice, encouraging talk with my supervisor after work
51. God's forgiveness
52. A change in my job duties which results in me working closely with only my Christian co-workers.
53. Goofy friends that make me laugh
54. Listening to my favorite songs while on my way home from work.
55. Rice Krispies and bananas (one of my all-time favorite breakfasts)

31 Days of Thankfulness: A Definition

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

Today is Day 5 of the 31 Days challenge. So far, so good. I've been able to have a post every day, and I realize each time I write a blog post how very much I have to be thankful for. You may have noticed that I don't start counting at one every day. Instead, I pick up where I left off the previous day. I thought that it would be neat to do this so that at the end of the month I could look back and see just how much there is to be thankful for.

I realized today that I have yet to give a definition of what thankfulness is. Here I am, counting all that I have to be thankful for, and I haven't even looked at what it means to be thankful. Well, let's remedy that.

Thankful-conscious of benefit received; expressive of thanks; well pleased

Seeing as the definition mentions the words thanks, let's go ahead and look at the definition for that, too.

Thanks-kindly or grateful thoughts; an expression of gratitude

And, since grateful is often used interchangeably with thankful, let's go ahead and look that up as well.

Grateful-appreciative of benefits received; expressing gratitude; affording pleasure or contentment; pleasing by way of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated.

I think that the definition of grateful is the one that best expresses it. "Appreciative of benefits received." After all, isn't that what we're doing when we count what we're thankful for, expressing appreciation for what we've received? I think so.

Looking at these definitions has definitely made me look at thankfulness in a new way, as strange as that may sound. I shouldn't just be listing off things that I have just to list them; they're things that I should be grateful and appreciative of. I need to make sure that during this month I don't just put down something because I need more items to list on here to make it look good. I should be appreciative of and grateful for every single thing that I list here. With that in mind, let's take a look at my list for today.

I'm thankful for...

37. Encouraging words from a friend.

38. Finding a note from a friend left on my desk meant to make me smile.

39. Hugs. (I just love hugs, don't you?)

40. Back rubs that help me relax and help lessen the pain from a migraine.

41. Rainy days that are wonderful for sleeping.

42. Finally getting my appetite back after over a month with no appetite.

43. Making plans with friends for the weekend.

44. Cell phone and unlimited texting.

45. Discovering new Christian artists and bands via facebook.

46. Knowing that God hears and answers our prayers.

What are you thankful for today?

31 Days of Thankfulness: A Gift

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

I'm thankful for...

27. The ability to write posts ahead of time and schedule them to post at a later date.

28. Overtime at work, which means extra money for me!

29. The beautiful color on the trees as their leaves change color

30. Discovering new music on Facebook

31. Walmart clearance!

32. Caramel apples and apple cider-two of my favorite things about Fall!

33. Hulu, which allows me to watch episodes of my favorite shows that I can't see because I don't have cable...yet.

34. Scheduling a date for my cable installation

35. Getting a text that makes me smile.

36. Encouraging talks with my supervisor at work, and knowing that both she and her mom pray for me every day.

What are you thankful for today?

Tasty Tuesday: Spinach Salad with Roasted Pecans

I know that you probably already have a ton of salad recipes, but I wanted to share this one with you. You're probably looking at the title and thinking, "Eww, spinach is disgusting!" I thought so too, until my aunt made a salad similar to this one, and then I loved it. So give it a try. You never know, you may like it.

1 package baby spinach
1 package romaine lettuce hearts
1/2 c. pecan halves
1 tbsp. sugar or brown sugar (depends on which you prefer. I usually use brown sugar)
1 tbsp. butter or margarine

In a frying pan, melt butter over low heat. Add pecans and sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes or until caramalized, stirring constantly. (Note: You can also get a bag of pecans that are already caramalized. They're usually by the other nuts in the baking section) Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, toss together lettuce and spinach in a salad bowl. Once pecans have cooled, toss those in with the lettuce and spinach. Serve with dressing of your choice.

Note: You can also add in other items such as apples, raspberries, cheese, etc.

31 Days of Thankfulness: Always Something

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.


I'm thankful for...

8. Grocery shopping at 3am (the best time to go; there's no lines!)
9. Time spent studying and reading the Word.
10. A phone call from a friend that I haven't talked to in awhile.
11. Fall weather
12.Coffee!!
13. Getting music for free
14. Spending a Saturday afternoon with my dad watching football.
15. Friends that make me smile, even when I don't want to.
16. Answered prayer

Happy Sunday everyone!! What are YOU thankful for today?

31 Days of Thankfulness: Day 1

"What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"


Today I am thankful for...

1. My family-God has given me an amazing family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. I have parents who love and support me, a sister who is also one of my friends, and a brother-in-law who is amazing with computers. I have one set of grandparents that is still alive, Granny and PawPaw, and they live close enough that I am able to see them regularly. I also have several aunts and uncles and cousins who, although most of them live far away, I'm able to keep up with on Facebook.

2. Facebook-I know this seems like an odd and frivolous thing to be thankful for, but Facebook is really a great tool when used properly. I'm able to keep in contact with friends and family who live far away. I've also discovered many great things through Facebook that I never would have otherwise, such as the 180 movie that I shared with you all here.

3. My job-The Lord has blessed me with an amazing job. Though a lot of times it gets busy and crazy and stressful, and I don't always get along with everyone that I work with, I absolutely love it. I've made some great friends during the time that I've worked there, and I've also had the opportunity to share Jesus with several people. I have Christian supervisor, which is a huge blessing and encouragement. I'm so very thankful to have a stable job in this economy. I know several people who are without a job right now. Every time I start to get frustrated or upset about something that happens at work, I just have to think of all those that would give anything to have a job right now.

4. My friends-I have some awesome friends. They're always there for me when I need them.I know that whenever I need them they're just a phone call of text away. I love that I have friends that I can text when something comes up and I need prayer and I know they'll pray for me. Some of my friends are pretty crazy, but that's okay, that just makes them fun to be around! I'm blessed to be good friends with my supervisor at work as well. It greatly helps to have a good relationship with her, because I know that whenever I need anything I can count on her.

5. My apartment-If you had told me this time last year that I would be sitting in my own apartment right now typing this, I wouldn't have believed you. Getting my own place was just a distant dream at that time. I had no idea that it would become a reality as quickly as it did. God really provided; I was able to find a cute little apartment in a nice neighborhood for a good price. It's a bit on the small side, but since it's just me it doesn't matter. I have a landlord who is here at least once a week, talking to the tenants and checking up on everything. I've also been blessed to have quiet neighbors so it makes it easy for me to sleep during the day.

6. My salvation-I have been so blessed to grow up in a Christian home and to have been saved at a young age. I was only three years old when I trusted Christ as my Savior. Although during the past couple of years I have struggled with my face, and even went through a period not all that long ago where I was sick of everything God and wanted nothing to do with Him, He never gave up on me. When I finally repented and turned back to Him, He blessed me in ways that I never could have imagined. Because of my salvation, I can have a personal relationship with Him and I know for certain that I will spend eternity in Heaven with Him when I die.

7. My health-This is a big one for me. For a couple of years, mainly while I was down at college, I struggled with my health. I was having severe asthma attacks nearly every week, constant allergy problems, I was sick all the time, and I had no energy. Although we're still not quite sure what caused all of that, we suspect it may have been the environment and such down where I attended college in combination with the stress of being in college, my health has greatly improved over the past year and a half since I've graduated. I was without a job for nearly four months after I graduated, which although a source of frustration and discouragement at the time, enabled me to get plenty of rest and gave my body some time to recover from everything it had been through.

What have you thanked God for today?

31 Days of Thankfulness

One of the blogs that I read, The Mom Creative, along with seven other blogs, are hosting a 31 Days series in which they do one post every day of this month about one topic. They also have invited other bloggers to link up with them. This is the second year they've done it, and this year I've decided to link up with them. I'm very excited about it.

The topic that I have chosen to blog about is thankfulness. It's something that I struggle with, as I'm sure many of you do, too. It's so easy to go around complaining about things that many times we forget how to be thankful. I plan to list at least five things each day that I am thankful for. I'll also share thoughts and quotes about thankfulness. I hope that by the end of the month I'll have gotten into a habit of being thankful for everything. I still plan on doing other blog posts too, as time allows.

If you have a blog, then, please, feel free to join up with all of us over at The Mom Creative! Just add your blog to the linky, and it will automatically show up on the other seven blogs as well.

The American Holocaust

You're probably looking at the title of this blog post and thinking, "What? The 'American Holocaust?' This girl must be crazy!" Let me reassure you I am not crazy!

We have an ongoing Holocaust of our own right here in America. A Holocaust where millions of innocent people are being murdered, just as they were in Germany before and during World War II. You are probably now thinking,"Impossible! We would have heard of such a thing! The media would be all over this if it were true!" Well, that's not exactly true. You see, this Holocaust is something that I'm sure nearly every American knows about. It's called abortion.

Now before you completely shut me out, let me explain. Or rather, let this video explain.

Now that you've watched the video, what do you think? Did any of you change your minds about abortion by watching this video? I hope so. This video was made by an evangelist, Ray Comfort, in an effort to open people's eyes to what abortion really is, which is murder. If you'd like more information about the video, click here to go to the website. They also have a Facebook fanpage. If this movie changed your mind, or if you'd like to help spread the word, go to their website and share the video with your friends on Facebook, or go to their fanpage and like it. Help get the word out! By sharing this video you could end up saving a life.

Favorite Friday - 5 Favorite Websites

It's Friday again already...where did this week go?! It seems like it just flew by! Of course, that is by no means a bad thing. I like it when my weeks fly by, especially when the work week flies by!

This week for Favorite Friday I want to share five of my favorite websites with y'all. These five websites are ones that I use all the times and don't know how I ever lived without them.

At the top of the list is Swagbucks. Swagbucks is an awesome website where you can earn points for searching the web. You can then redeem those points for gift cards, movies, music, electronics, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I usually redeem my points for Amazon.com gift cards. You sign up for an account (there's no fees, credit car required, or phone number or address requested), and then use their website's search engine to search the web. You'll be rewarded with 30 swagbucks just for signing up! You can earn an average of 10-20 swagbucks a day by searching the web. It's that simple. The best part is that if you tell friends about it, and they sign up through your referral link, you'll earn swagbucks from them too!

Swagbucks.com Homepage

Next on the list is Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows you to "pin" images from your computer, the web, or on the pinterest website itself and store and organize them on your boards. You can find everything from quotes, fashion ideas, and hairstyles to crafts, decorating ideas, and recipes. Say you find a recipe that you want to pin, like the Chocolate Strawberry Trifle that I posted on here the other day. You would go up to your toolbar, where the "pin it" button is installed, and click on the button. It will then allow you to pin it to a specific board. Pinterest allows you to have an unlimited number of pins (as far as I can tell) and organize them unto an unlimited number of boards. You can also "follow" other people's boards so that you can see whenever they pin a new item. It's a wonderful site for getting new ideas. It become addicting after awhile, though, so be prepared to spend lots of time on there! For some reason, Pinterest is by invitation only, at least for now. If you're interested and you want an invitation, use the Contact Me form (you can find the tab at the top of the page, right next to about me) to send me a message, and I will send you an invite.

Example of a Pinterest profile

Another website that I use frequently is Wishpot. It's a gift registry/wish list that allows you to add anything you want to your registry. You can install their button in your toolbar and add items from any retail website on the web or you can manually enter items that you want. You can then share your list or registry with your family and friends. It's an easy way to share your Christmas list with your whole family without having to send out a bunch of emails.

The fourth website on my favorites list is Dropbox. This website allows you to backup and sync your files between multiple computers. You download it your computer, and it automatically creates a folder for you to save your files to. It then automatically syncs it with your other devices that you have installed it on. I use it a lot at work as I use a shared computer. After a couple of bad experiences of other people deleting my documents (not just any documents, but spreadsheets that took several hours of work), I decided to save them to Dropbox. This way, no matter which computer I use, or who uses my computer, I'll always have a copy of what I need and I won't have to spend hours re-figuring formulas. I also use it a lot at home to back up my files and also to sync some files between my computer and my iPod. When you first sign up for an account, you get 2GB of space. You can earn 250MB of more space for each friend that you invite who signs up, with a limit of 8GB.

Last, but not least, on my list of favorite websites is Mint. It's a free personal finance and budget software. You don't even have to download anything to your computer. It's all online, and it's all secure. It's from the makers of Quicken, so you know that it's good. It allows you to set budget limits in various areas such as entertainment, shopping, food, etc. It automatically pulls your spending information from your bank accounts, so you don't have to worry about entering any data or keeping track of all those receipts  There's also an app for your Ipod/Iphone or Android, so you can keep track of your spending even when your away from the computer. And remember, it's all FREE. You don't have to purchase any expensive software, which you then have to update every year.

Well, there you have it. These are my top 5 favorite websites. What are some of your favorite websites? Have you ever used any of these websites? If so, what do you think of them? Leave a comment and let me know!!

Disclaimer: I was not paid or perked in any way for posting about these. However, if you click on my Swagbucks link it will take you to my referral link and I will receive Swagbucks if you sign up through it. Also, if you sign up using my link to dropbox, I'll receive 250MB of free space.

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Faith

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time." -Oswald Chambers

Tasty Tuesday-Strawberry Chocolate Trifle

Hello all!! I know that summer's over and fall is here, but I just couldn't resist sharing one of my favorite summertime recipes with you. I came up with this recipe a couple of years ago when I was looking for a quick and simple summer dessert. I make this almost every time I have people over and also for potlucks and such. It's so simple and delicious, and I get rave reviews every time I make it. If you like strawberries, then I guarantee that you'll like this recipe.

Strawberry Chocolate Trifle

1 loaf angel good cake

1 package instant chocolate pudding

1 carton strawberries

1 8oz container cool whip

1/4 bag chocolate chips

Cut up the angel food cake into 1 inch cubes. Set aside. Core strawberries and slice into quarters.Cover the bottom of a trifle bowl with 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes. Layer 1/4 of the strawberries on top. Sprinkle 1/4 of the chocolate chips over the layer. Mix the instant pudding according to package instructions and pour 1/3 of it on top of the strawberries. Cover with 1/3 of the cool whip. Repeat for two more layers. On top of the final layer of cool whip, arrange the remaining strawberries as desired and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Refrigerate until chilled (about 2 hours).

Note: You can also add (or substitute) other fruit as desired. I've added raspberries and blueberries before, but I'm sure you could use any of your favorite fruits in this.

Standards, Convictions, & Judgement

Recently the subject of standards has come up a number of times in various converstations that I've had with different people. It amazes me how heated those discussion can get at times, and how much flack you can get if you don't believe the same way as someone else. It seems that may Christians are so concerned about outward apperances that they ignore what someone's like on the inside. Many times I have seen a woman who wears pants looked down on by other Christians. They see what she's wearing, and immediately decide that she's not right with God. However, more often than not, I find that those people that are looked down upon love God just as much as, if not more than, those that are judging her. When did what we wear, listen to, and do become a siign of whether or not someone's right with God?

A good, lovely, Godly Christian on the outside is not always a good, lovely, Godly Christian on the inside. I have seen instances where friendships have been torn apart because of disagreement over dress standards. You know what? Most of the time the ones being the most mean and brutal about it were the ones with the highest standards. That realization shook me to my core. It changed my perspective of what a good, lovely, Godly Christian was.

If our insides are worthy of being a good example, our outsides will follow. We may not always agree with other people's "outsides", but because our insides are right, that won't matter. If our example in spirit is right, we will be able to be examples in word, lifestyle, love, faith, and purity. And that, in the end, is what will bring the most glory to God.   

1 Samuel 16:7b …for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

1 Timothy 4:12 ... be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

We are not commanded to be an example in just a couple of these areas, but in all of them. We often get so caught up in being an example in one of these areas that we forget the others.

I could be the best example ever in my words, but if I am not an example in purity, then all is for nothing. Similarly, I could have the highest standards in living- music, dress, places I go, etc.- but if my spirit isn't correct, none of that matters. A lot of times we have that backwards. Sometimes we tend to think that because we’re a good church girl, we’re somehow more spiritual than others- maybe even "more saved" than others. If we only listened to the most conservative Christian music, never go into "bad stores" in the mall, our skirts went to our ankles, and culottes are the epitome of sacred-ness, then outwardly, we are perfectly in line with what some believe is everything a good Christian girl should be, but what about inwardly?

It would often surprise you if you could see inside the one who appears to be the good church girl, the one who you think from looking at her is one of the best Christians because she dresses the right way, talks the right way, and listens to the right things. Sometimes the one who seems to be the perfect example is really only an example on the outside. Inside, they may be bitter, rebellious, judging, and the list could go on and on. I know this because that used to be me. I wore nothing but skirts or culottes , listened only to the most conservative Christian music, and never dreamed of going to a movie theater. Outside, I seemed like the perfect little Christian girl. Inside was a completely different story. My heart was full of bitterness. I was rebellious, not outwardly, but inwardly. I didn't want to be known as the "goody two shoes" or "that religious girl" anymore. If I saw a Christian woman wearing anything except a skirt or culottes, I immediately looked down on them and thought that they weren't as "religious" or "spiritual" as I was. Thankfully, God did a work in my heart, and with His help I got rid of the bitterness and rebellion, and wasn't so quick to judge. I finally realized that it was not the outward appearance that mattered, but what we looked like on the inside.

I'm not writing this post to judge anyone or to get anyone to change their convictions or standards.. I'm just trying to get people to think. These things (dress, music, places we go, things we do) are personal convictions. Everyone has a right to their own beliefs and convictions on these things, so who are we to judge them? 

“Let every man judge according to his own standards, by what he has himself read, not by what others tell him.

“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path.”

“To judge between good or bad, between successful and unsuccessful would take the eye of a God.”

Our God

"Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome and power"

"Our God" -Chris Tomlin

Growing

I'm going to start alternating Favorite Fridays with Five Minute Fridays. If you're not familiar with Five Minute Fridays, they were started by The Gyspsy Mama. Every week she chooses a different topic, and you write about it for five minutes - no editing, no backtracking, and no over thinking. If you would like to participate, I encourage you to go to her blog and link up! Also, make sure that you put a link back to her post at the end of your post.

-START

Growing. When we think of that word, we often think of a young child, such as a baby or a toddler or such. One who still is growing and learning new things every day. Or we may think of plants and grass and trees as they grow, showing the beauty of creation. But children and nature aren't the only things that grow. We grow every day too, you know. Not in the same way of course. But we grow through different experiences that we've been through. Ever day we grow. We grow mentally, and emotionally, and if we're a child of God, then hopefully we're growing spiritually.

We can encourage this growth in us through many different way. Trying new things, reading, things that we go through. Often the things that grow us the most are the hardest to go through. Things such as the loss of a loved one, or starting a new job, or finding out that you have a chronic illness. Although they seem impossible to get through at the time, they are learning experiences for us, and we can grow in ways we never thought possible. We grow in dependence on God, we grow closer to our family and friends, we grow emotionally as we're strengthened by these trials. So today, I encourage you to look around you, and see the various ways in which you are growing.

-STOP


Five Minute Friday: Growing

Choosing Joy...

One of the biggest reasons why I chose to start blogging again is that I was inspired by a blog that I read. I only discovered this blog a couple of months ago, but it quickly became one of my favorites. I found myself clicking over there every day to see if anything new had been posted. The blog is Choosing Joy, and is written by a lady named Sara Frankl. She's an amazing woman who has gone through quite the journey. You see, about 16 years ago she developed Ankylosing Spondylitis, a chronic disease that attacks your joints and causes pain...lots of pain.

Over the years, her disease progressed, and eventually it got to the point where Sara was basically bedridden. Her body had developed allergies to so many things that she couldn't really even go outside. She was confined to her condo. Through it all, she's decided to "Choose Joy." Although she deals with intense pain every single day, she doesn't let it get her down. She chooses instead to have a joyful attitude.

Sara is dying. Just over a month ago, she posted that she would be taking a break for a week or so as her health was getting worse. A week later, one of her close friends, Shannon, posted that Sara would be taking a sabbatical from her blog due to her health. She was doing this in an effort to try and get some of her energy back and get more rest in hopes that her health would improve. A couple of weeks later Shannon was back again. This time she was telling us that Sara's body was shutting down, and that hospice had been called in.

Sara's time on this earth is quickly ending, but she still is focused more on others than herself. In her last post on her blog, she stated that her thoughts were with her mom, her sister, her brother, her nieces and nephews, and her friends. She wanted to be sure that they knew she wasn't scared to go. She wanted them to know that she loved them, and that her thoughts were with them. Even in death, Sara is more concerned about others than herself.

If she crosses your mind, pray for her. She's headed Home. She'll be meeting Jesus very soon. Pray that these last few days and hours won't be too painful. Pray that her passing is quick and peaceful. As much as those who know her, and those of us that feel as if we know her, hate to see her go, we know that she's ready. She'll finally be pain-free, and she'll be reunited with her dad, who passed away a few years ago. I also encourage you to go read her blog. Read through the archives. You'll be humbled and amazed by the strength and faith she has shown throughout her journey here on earth.

Hello Again

I'm back...hopefully for good. For a time, I had deleted this blog because I just didn't have the motivation or time to blog. I know, I left without any warning, but I'm back now. I have more time on my hands now, and Blogger finally came out with a way to schedule posts (or maybe it was there all along and I just didn't know about it?).

Blogger has changed their posting format and such since the last time I posted, so please bear with me as I try to figure it all out! It doesn't look too complicated, so hopefully it won't take me long!

I am so happy to be back blogging again! I didn't realize how much I had missed it until recently. It seems like in the past couple of weeks I've been constantly forming blog posts in my mind. Now I can finally transfer from my mind to this blog. I'm excited to share with y'all what's been going on in my life.

Favorite Fridays: Chick Flicks!!

Well, it's looking like my work schedule is only going to allow me to post once or twice a week. I frequently work overtime, so unless I have extra time on the days that I work, I usually only have time to post on my days off. Because of this, I will try to do a couple of posts on the days that I am able to post something. I'm still trying to figure out if there's someway that I can write a post ahead of time and then schedule it to post at a certain time. Do any of you know how to do this?


Because I have so many favorite movies, I've decided to divide them into genres for Favorite Fridays. My family owns a lot of movies, mainly because for a few years we didn't have satellite or cable, and also to ensure that there would always be something good for us to watch so we don't end up watching something that we shouldn't simply because we have nothing else to watch.

One of my favorite genres of movies is chick flicks! You know, the girl-meets-guy, girl-and-guy-fall-in-love type? Yes, I will admit, I'm very much a romantic at heart. I enjoy a good love story, whether in a book or a movie, so here's a few of my favorites:

1. First Daughter-I love this movie!! It's cute, hilarious, and oh-so-good!!! "Once Upon A Time there lived a lovely girl named Samantha. She had everything she could possibly wish for, and lived in a beautiful white house. The White House. First Daughter Samantha Mackenzie is a sheltered young woman who just wants a normal school experience, away from the influence of her parents. Only trouble is, her dad is the President of the United States! But nothing will stop Samantha, so, under Secret Service surveillance and a nonstop media glare, she meets-and falls hard for-a handsome student who has a secret existence of his own."
Note: this movie does have a couple of scenes that you may want to fast forward-a pool party scene (girls in bikinis, guys with no shirts on, and guys dancing suggestively around a girl) and a bar scene which involves Samantha wearing a very short pair of shorts, and a tight top.


2. Hitch-this movie is hilarious!! If you want a romance that will make you laugh, then watch Hitch. "Smooth and sexy Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) is the master of seduction in this charming romantic comedy. His specialty? Helping clueless clients make a great first impression so they not only get to the second date, but make someone fall for them. When a gossip reporter (Eva Mendes) starts nosing around his business, however, Hitch finds himself out of moves as he forgets all his lessons and has to figure out a whole new strategy to love."
Note: This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. While there are no necessarily "bad" scenes, I would not recommend watching it with kids around.

3. The Last Song-This is near the top of my all-time favorite movies list. As are most movies based on Nicholas Spark's novels, it is a tearjerker, so have a box of tissues nearby!! "17-year-old Ronnie Miller is a rebellious former piano prodigy who doesn't hide her hostility after being sent off to spend the summer in Georgia with her estranged father. Rebuffing her dad's attempts to reconnect, the aloof Ronnie begins to thaw when she meets beach volleyballer Will Blakelee." Kinda a poor summary, I know, but it's the best one I could find. Watch it for yourself, and you'll find that you'll want to watch it again and again!!!
Note: This movie is very clean, and I would have no problems watching it with pre-teens or teens.

4. A Walk to Remember-Also based on a Nicholas Spark's novel, this is another one of my all-time favorites. Don't forget to grab another box of tissues before watching it! "When bad boy Landon is cast opposite the campus bookworm in a school play, no one expects romance to bloom. Despite peer pressure and strict parents, the newly minted lovebirds forge a heartfelt bond ... until tragedy tears them apart."
Note: This movie is also very clean, and has a bit of a religious theme to it.

5. Sweet Home Alabama-this movie starts one of my favorite actresses, Reese Witherspoon, so of course, it is near the top of my list of my favorites. Funny, cute, and touching, I find myself wanting to watch it again and again. "Abandoning her rural Alabama background and high school-sweetheart husband in favor of Manhattan's glamorous social circles, Melanie Smooter-Perry adopts a chicer surname to go with her new life. As career woman Melanie Carmichael, she attracts a handsome Park Avenue boyfriend…but then he pops the question, forcing Melanie to go down South and finally get her divorce papers signed."
Note: This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason, and I wouldn't recommend watching it with kids or young teens.

6. Father of the Bride (1991)-a very cute movie that is great for the whole family! If you've ever been the father-, mother-, brother-, or sister-of-the-bride, you will definitely find this movie hilarious!! "In this hilarious update of the much-loved Hollywood classic, George Banks is the befuddled father who has a hard time letting go of his daughter when she unexpectedly announces her plans to wed."
Note: This movie is great for the while family to watch, and very clean.

7. Runaway Bride-This movie is hilarious!!! Go ahead, watch it; if you like chick flicks, I promise you will love this movie! "Commitment-phobic bride-to-be Maggie Carpenter has already left three men at the altar when sexist newspaper columnist Ike Graham writes an offensive, inaccurate story about her -- and will get fired unless he talks to her in person. But as the "Runaway Bride" prepares for her fourth wedding attempt, Graham discovers what her beaus see in her -- and risks becoming the next groom."
Note: Another very clean movie that the whole family can watch and enjoy.

8. 50 First Dates-Another romantic comedy, I enjoy watching this when I need a good laugh! "Henry is a player skilled at seducing women. But when this veterinarian meets Lucy, a girl with a quirky problem when it comes to total recall, he realizes it's possible to fall in love all over again … and again, and again. That's because the delightful Lucy has no short-term memory, so Henry must woo her day after day until he finally sweeps her off her feet.
Note: I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone under the age of 16. Some of the dialogue is rather suggestive.

9. My Best Friend's Wedding-Another great chic flick, but without the usual ending. "Food writer Julianne Potter panics when she receives word that her longtime platonic pal, Michael, is finally getting hitched, to a debutante named Kimberly. Realizing her true feelings for Michael, Julianne enlists assistance from her gay companion and sets out to sabotage the wedding, making a last-minute play for her man -- to the rhythm of Burt Bacharach tunes."
Note: The movie is pretty clean, but I wouldn't recommend watching it with anyone younger than 13.

10. The Wedding Planner-A very cute movie, with just the right of comedy mixed in to keep it entertaining. " Mary Fiore, San Francisco's premiere wedding planner, is rescued from an accident by the man of her dreams, pediatrician Steve Edison, only to find he is the fiancé of her latest client, wealthy Fran Donnolly. As Mary continues making the wedding arrangements, she and Steve are put into a string of uncomfortable situations that force them to face their mutual attraction."
Note: Once again, it's pretty clean, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 13.

Thrifty Thursday (A Day Late!)

I know, I know, it's Friday. But, since I was too busy lazy to post this yesterday, and I'm way too excited to be able to wait till next Thursday to post it, I'm posting it today.

My new favorite stores are Goodwill and Walmart. Okay, okay, maybe not my NEW favorite, seeing as I've always loved Goodwill, and Walmart is every college student's favorite store, especially when your college is in a podunk little town where Walmart is the only place to go for fun (I might be exaggerating just a little...), but seriously, they are my two favorite stores. You can find some awesome stuff there for really cheap prices.

Now you may be thinking, "yeah, yeah, we already know all this, so why are you telling us?" Well, did you know that Walmart has a fabulous selection of clearance items in housewares? At least the Walmart here does. Thanks to the clearance section, I have been able to save a ton of money on items for my apartment. Here's a picture of everything I've gotten in the past two days:

(not pictured: Black 7 Decker 5 cup coffee maker)

From Walmart Clearance:

Mainstays Stoneware Canister Set-$15.97 Probably one of my favorite purchases!! I wasn't really looking for these, but when I saw them in the clearance section, I couldn't resist getting them!! They'll be really nice for storing flour, sugar, etc. Original Price: Unknown. Amount Saved: Approx. $15

HomeTrends Sacco 16 piece Dinnerware-$15.99 Yes, you read that right, just $16!!! That's just $1 per piece! You can't get much cheaper than that! They're a beautiful shade of brown, and exactly what I was looking for!! (I know the tag on the box says $25.95, but that's only because I peeled off the clearance sticker that was on there when I bought them to see how much they were originally marked down to.) Original Price: Unknown, but approx. $30. Amount Saved: around $14 or $15.

(Sorry about the blurriness...)

Shower Curtain ($6), Bath Mat ($5), Trashcan, Toothbrush Holder, and Soap Dispenser ($6 for the set)-$17 total Since these all match, and none of them are really that exciting, I figured I'd combine them all into one. I don't have an individual picture of them, but they are pictured in the top picture. They're all green and yellow polka dots, which match the brown theme  I was planning on doing in the bathroom. The shower curtains attaches to the shower rod itself, so there's no need for hooks, and it's plastic, so it can serve as the liner, too. Original Price: Unknown. Amount Saved: Approx. $14

Corningware French White 10-piece Bakeware Set-$25.00 The set includes four casserole dishes of various sizes, each with a plastic lid, and two of them with a glass lid. I have a feeling I'll probably use these a lot for making casseroles and such! Original Price: $49.99. Amount Saved: $24.99.

2 Sets of Kitchen Towels-$2.50 for set of 3 Total Price: $5 I saw these towels and fell in love with them!! My kitchen color is brown, too (can you tell that I love brown?) and these adorable turquoise, green, and blue striped towels will look absolutely adorable! Original Price-$6 for set of 3 Amount saved-$7

Ziploc Food Storage Containers-$1.75 for set of 4 I couldn't pass these up when I saw them. Food storage containers are going to be a must for me, not just because I pack my lunch for work everyday, but also because I'm used to cooking for a minimum of 3 people; it's going to be hard to get used to cooking for just 1 person, so I'm probably going to have a lot of leftovers at first. I'm seriously considering going back to get some more. Original Price: approx. $5 Amount Saved: Approx. $4.15

From Walmart Rollbacks:

Wearever 12 pc. Cookware Set-$35 The set included a 5qt. dutch oven, 2 qt. covered sauce pan, 8" & 10" fry pans, and a 10.25" griddle. It also included cooking a spatula, slotted spoon, noodle spoon, and ladle. I'll probably end up buying another smaller sauce pan as well, just so that I'll have two. Original Price: $49.00 Amount Saved: $15 (includes Mom's 10% employee discount)

From Goodwill:

GE 0.7 cu. ft. Microwave Oven-$14.98 I was expecting to have to pay upwards of $50 for a microwave (something that I was NOT looking forward to), so when I saw this at Goodwill, I couldn't pass it up. It's not in the best condition, as it was a couple of dents in it, but it works, so I could really care less what it looks like. Original Price-$59.97 on Walmart.com Amount Saved: $34.99

Toshiba DVD Player-$14 I wasn't planning on getting a DVD player right away, but when I saw this at Goodwill, I couldn't pass it up. Now I just need a tv... Original Price: Approx. $30 Amount Saved: Approx. $16

Black & Decker 5-cup Coffee Maker-$4 I wanted a coffee maker, but that was on my "want, but don't need" list, and seeing as neither of my parents drink coffee, I wasn't expecting to receive it as a birthday or Christmas gift, either. It was one of those items that I figured I'd get eventually, but not before I moved in. Well, when I saw one for Goodwill for $4, I couldn't pass it up!! It's even programmable, so I can have coffee waiting for me when I wake up in the evening (yes, I'm one of those weird people who works at night and sleeps during the day)!! Original Price-$38.80 (amazon.com price) Amount saved: $34.80

Other Walmart Purchases:

These weren't clearance or rollback, but most of them were $1, so they were still a very good deal.

(2) Pitchers-$1 each These will be perfect for putting lemonade, iced tea, or juice in.

Plastic Tumblers (set of 4)-$1 As of right now, I only have the coffee cups that came with my dishes to put drinks in, so these will be nice for using for water glasses.

Plastic Bowls (set of 4)-$1 I love cereal and applesauce and such, so I use a lot of bowls. I figured that these will be a much cheaper (and greener) alternative to using disposable bowls.

Measuring cups and spoons-$.88 I already had a set of measuring spoons, so I was hoping to find a set of measuring cups without the measuring spoons, but the only ones I could find were over $3 (crazy, I know!), so I went ahead and got the set. I know how easy it is to lose measuring spoons, so I figure it can't hurt to have two sets!

Dishcloths (set of 12)-$2 The colors will match everything else that I have for my kitchen, and since they were such a good price, I couldn't pass them up.

Flatware (48 piece)-$9.99 The set included a drawer organizer, so it was a really good deal! I wasn't really wanting such a big set, but the smaller sets were the same price and didn't include the drawer organizer.

Black & Decker Extra-tall Can Opener-$11.47 This was a bit more than I wanted to spend for a can opener, but my parents have the same one, and it's one of the few can openers we've had that's worked for more than just a couple months (we've had it for a few years now) so i figured I'd go ahead and get it.

Total Spent: $177.03 Total Saved: $180.93

I'm thrilled that I saved more than I spent!! I had just over $500 budgeted to spend on everything that I need before I can move into my apartment, and this is over half of that list, so I think I'm doing pretty good! The only two big ticket items I have left to buy are a couch or futon (one that looks like a catch; not one of those cheap metal ones!) and a vacuum. I'll be keeping an eye out for those at Goodwill and garage sales, but if I can't find them there, I have my eye on one of each of these at Walmart, and I'd still come in well below budget.