Thursday, September 24, 2009

Hello, Is Anybody Out There?


It sure has been a while since we all chatted!
As per my last post(all the way back in June) I have been recovering from what I now know to be a pretty big surgery.
At first things were great and I felt well. However it has taken me a while to get back on my feet full force. I am not one for sitting around much and that could have definitely contributed to it taking some time for me to " feel myself again".
I also have struggled with a few unpleasant side effects of my surgery. Insomnia and Hot flashes. Neither are very fun I have to say! When you are not feeling your best it is hard to cope when you have had very little sleep, night after night. And hot flashes well lets just say they are an entity all their own!
Around August, I was starting to have a rough time. I wasn't feeling well and not dealing with stress to great. As many of you know my Husband is the youth director at our church, and we take the Teens to camp every summer.
Usually I love camp as much as the Teens. I play the games and camp is fun! But not this year. I struggled in my flesh and yes in my spirit.
However God is in the details. I very much needed the great messages I heard at camp and God really spoke to my heart. I came home still weak in the flesh, but renewed in my spirit.
I spent the remainder of August staying close to the Lord. Doing what I could physically and meditating on God's Word. I have limited couponing and and I waned in my zeal for frugality. It seemed pointless to me to have 5 deodorants in my pantry when I had 14 loads of laundry and my house hadn't been cleaned in a week! I truly did not have the energy.
By God's Grace and mercy, I am feeling my old self again and have a renewed interest in couponing and saving money. So much so, that I have challenged my family not to spend any extra money in the month of October! We are planning on attempting to save in every area, from cutting down the number of loads of laundry each week (Yes that means that my teenage son may have to wear something twice in one week!) to keeping the lights off , to eating from our freezer and pantry, to what ever it takes to save!
I truly am looking forward to couponing and all my frugal activities again. Especially since winter is fast approaching, and for us that means buying fuel oil . I will be posting on our October challenge, so please stay tuned.......
I hope to be back to regular blogging and frugal tips.
P.S. Don't you just love the pretty fall picture. Here in Upstate New York the leaves are changing and it looks like it will be a spectacular parade of color!!
It is by His grace and for His glory,
~Michelle~