"FREE.........REALLY??"

“Nothing is for free!” Funny……seems I heard that comment just the other morning. And then in the afternoon as I was driving home from the grocery store I passed a house that had a huge sign in the front yard that said “FREE.” There had obviously been a rummage sale and the owners did not want to “re-store” all of their things again so they were giving it away. There was even a man in the front yard flagging people down saying “STOP! It’s all free. Whatever you want. Come take a look!” I was in a hurry so I did not stop. Something must definitely be wrong with me!! Me? Pass up a yard sale? I do U-turns for yard sales!!! I nearly cause accidents for yard sales!!!! And to pass up a free one? Come on!!!! I have to think about that one. Maybe I need to go to the doctor and be checked for something!!!!?? No unnecessary comments, please! :-) Anyways, back from my distraction……..when that comment was made the other day I replied: “Oh yes, there is something that is free!!! Salvation is free. All you have to do is ask for it and it’s yours.” Immediately it occurred to me that, NO, salvation was not free. It cost a great deal. It cost my Savior His very life!! How free is that? Well, not free to Him, but most definitely free to us. And everyday, people refuse it. They pass it by, just like I did that yard sale. Even though there are many, many Christians standing out in the front yard of life waving signs and trying to flag people down telling them that it’s free!!! But, just like I did, they are in a hurry. They don’t have time to stop and look or listen. I’m sure I could have found some small treasure amongst that heap of junk laying in that front yard if I had only taken the time to stop and look. If we could only get the message across to people what precious treasure we have to share with them they would stop and take advantage of that “free” gift that is offered to them by Christ. Maybe we as Christians should start wearing signs that says: “I have something FREE for you!! Just ask!!!” I wonder how many people would actually take time to ask or would they do like me and just pass it by and wonder what could have been there if they had just stopped long enough to inquire!!! On the other hand, would you be willing to wear a sign that said that and then actually share what it meant if someone were to ask!!!!????

“ to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

Acts 26:18

Makes "Cents" to Me"

Well, I nearly had a heart attack!!!! Here we are in the car again on the way to a "Rescue Weekend"as I call it now!!!! Well, a "rescue day" if you want to be technical. It starts tonight at 5:30 with dinner and then the session begins at 6:30, runs until 9:00 pm and ends at 11:15 am tomorrow. Still, it is time "away" from the normal everyday things, which I thankful for each time!!! Anyways......I turned on the computer and tried to sign on the to Internet and the keyboard was not working, bit was doing all kinds of goofy things. Each time I tried to type a word, it did something totally off the wall and absolutely not what it was supposed to do!! I had had problems with it yesterday because something was trying to download a virus program, which caused me undo stress and "panic!!!!" I called the "computer genius" (my hubby) and he tried to walk me through it and we thought we had fixed it yesterday, but found out it was still there!!! The thought of riding all the way to Indy "without" the access of my blog or Facebook caused me to nearly hyperventilate!!!! I mean it was serious!! I wanted to cry.....really!!!! I know......I've been told I have issues. It's nothing new!!! They've been there all along. They are just becoming more prevalent as the years go by!!!!

Well............on to the "real" topic!!!! This "rescue weekend" is for Pastor's and their wives and from what I understand it's going to be somewhat of a financial seminar, which I'm surprised my husband is even bringing me to in the first place!!! We are not on the same page where finances are concerned..............well, not even in the same chapter.........probably not even the same book!!!!! Oh.........I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I should stay out of the stores and stop spending his money being a shopaholic!!! Oh to the contrar my dear!!!! Tis' not I!!!! His idea of money management is "if he has a dime in his pocket he "manages" to spend it!!!! (Don't misunderstand, He tithes without fail...so it's not that money he spends!!!) I, on the other hand, will take that same dime, guard it with my life and not spend it until necessary!!! Of course, my idea of necessary and his idea of necessary differ greatly!!! We have a "favorite" grocery store we go to.......I say favorite because it has a "clearance" aisle in it, which we go down EVERY time we are in there. Well we just happened to go by there today on our way out of town and I found it "necessary" to spend that dime!!! Oh the bargains I found!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!! They had Cranberry-Grape juice for $1.00 a bottle. Ocean Spray.........the good kind....not even the generic!!! A 64 oz. bottle no less!!! Normally that same bottle would cost $3.29!!! There were probably 15 bottles of it. My dear, sweet husband asked me how many of them I wanted as he began to pile them in the cart. Of course, I said "all of them!!!!!" Did you hear me say I got it for $1.00!!!??? Obviously he didn't!!! :-) And then there were two huge boxes of cereal for $1.00 that were 5 for $10.00 in the front of the store for the very same kind!! Honestly, I simply do not care if the bottle has a dent in it or the box is a little smashed on one side. Does it make a difference in the taste of what's inside of it? Absolutely not!!! Sooooooooo.........therefore, I shop!!!!!! Listen............our meals and snacks depend on what's on sale! The "other" grocery store we go to has a discounted "meat" section!!! What a blessing, huh!! Needless to say, we eat a LOT of chicken!!! That's usually what's on sale. I know how to cook chicken just about any way you can and then some!!! Hmmmmm........let me see............doesn't the Bible tell us we are to be good stewards of what He has blessed us with? Just trying to be Biblical!!! Hey..........I try my best in some areas, ok? It just makes "cents" to me to save as much as I can in every area that I can!!!

Well...........we're here and I'm ready for all the financial advice they want to pass my way!!! Pray for my husband though.....it's finally time his toes get walked on instead of mine and it won't even be from one of "my sermons!!!!"