This is insane!

Ok, its just that this is what's going on in my life, right...so why not put it on my blog! I want to tell everyone I can about how God answered our prayers!  He is our portion, our provider...everything under the heavens and earth is HIS! Look at the way He is providing for my family!

We began praying, in desperation really, that somehow God would make our financial situation work.  We felt like there were areas that we struggled in because of poor judgment in the past and now we are feeling the consequences of that sin.   But you know what...God just didn't come waving a magic wand and make it all go away.  Nope, He has done something way better.

In this season of making-do, God has taken our little and made it much...MUCH more than I ever imagined!  I am smiling because that is just so Him! :)

So for our family of 5 our grocery budget had been close to $200.00 each month.  Sometimes it had to be less, much less.  Also of note, that included food and household items...even makeup and toiletries.  I was a Wal~Mart shopper and would buy generic products to stretch our money only getting name brands on a few things I just had to...and only getting those on sale &/or with a coupon.  I thought I was a couponer, I thought I was doing all I could...I guess I was with the limited knowledge I had.

So, about a year ago, it was getting close to Christmas and a friend gave me a heads up about a great deal on batteries at CVS that gave you a bunch of money back in ECBs (extra-care-bucks).  So I stocked up and got so excited that I finally knew how to catch good deals at CVS.

Oh, little did I know just what the possibilities were!

About that time too, I was googling for something and a site came up...easternshoremoms.com HELLO!  Wow the information she had out there!  But I never really made time to keep up with the deals to be had. I just still didn't get it.

WELL, I'm rolling up the Megillah here and getting to the point....

HERE IT IS:

• You can shop for all that your family needs...and sometimes wants...and get it for pennies on the dollar.
• You can dramatically change the face of your family budget by shopping smarter.
• God is good...all the time...even in my least favorite chore: grocery shopping. HE is providing for our needs and our wants.

You know, it is just like that hill covered with people who wanted to hear Jesus AND be fed.  There were more mouths to feed than food to feed them with.  That may be you, I'm not foolish enough to think that even in my friend circle there are not other Mom's affected by how much groceries cost, and making the decision on a weekly basis of not what to buy...but what they can only buy.  God sees you.  It isn't in His heart for your need to go unmet.

So, they went to Jesus, and they told Him, "We can't feed these people...there's too many and we don't have enough food."  Jesus didn't freak out, send them away, or cancel the meeting.  No, He simply looked at what they had...some pieces of bread and fish enough for  a boy's lunch.  He took it, and thanked God for it and then they started handing it out.

He took the little and made it much...MUCH more than they ever imagined...they even had LEFTOVERS.

I asked Him to help me. He did.  He kept putting in front of me a better way.  He finally got my attention.  I am so glad He tried more than once.

In the last month we have gotten gobs of free cheese, free cereal, free diapers, lightbulbs, and skin care products.  Free candles, cleaners, and toothpaste...and deodorants too.  That is all in addition to the miscellaneous groceries we've bought at savings of 50% on the low end of savings - and 76% is my high at the grocery store.

To God be the glory, this is a GREAT thing He has done!

Some of you reading this may have even been a part of this work He did, so I want to thank you too.  With all my heart I thank you for the part you played in helping me.

With sincere thanks and appreciation to:

our first Crown Financial group~and our second; Joanne for the battery tip that opened my eyes to CVS; to Holly for getting me going with my new coupon file ~ for teaching me how to go through ads ~ and for listening to me rant when I was going crazy 
trying to figure it all out;

to the blog writers who share the treasure that is good information~

easternshoremom, pennysaved-pennyearned,bargainbuggy; 

my family for cheering me on and taking an interest in me; 
to Missy & Hope, and all my friends who listen to me 
telling the whole Megillah and are excited with me 

and are evening sharing this new thing with me.

my cup is full...and so are our cupboards