Spurgeon

I'm reading a Charles Spurgeon book, "Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warefare". So far I really like it. If you don't know Spurgeon, here's a little history. He lived from 1834 to 1892 and was a preacher in England. He started preaching at age 16 and preached to an estimated ten million people throughout his life. There are over a million Charles Spurgeon books in print.
  This book has been enlightening regarding prayer. Here's a quote I just read in the book:
  "Alas, a great many people play at praying; it is nothing better. I say they play at praying; they do not expect God to give them an answer, and thus they are mere triflers who mock the Lord. He who prays in a businesslike way, meaning what he says, honors the Lord. The Lord does not play at promising; Jesus did not sport an confirming the Word by His blood; and we must not make a jest of prayer by going about it in a listless, unexpecting spirit.
   I picked up the Spurgeon book after reading his name in several other books I've read over the past year. Furthermore, I just finished designing a Tyndale book that's coming out soon called "We Shall See God" by Randy Alcorn. description: Randy Alcorn has compiled the most profound spiritual insights on the topic of eternity from these sermons and arranged them into an easily-accessible, highly inspirational devotional format complete with his own comments and devotional thoughts.
 
another subject: Jason and I watched the documentary "no impact man" last night. It was thought provoking, I recommend it.

$5, TOTAL $128 (w/Tyndale matching = $256.00) = 1002 meals

I didn't have Jimmy Johns today. I ate leftovers. The design team went to Mario's yesterday for a fellow co-worker last day. Great deal: $5 for penne pasta, garlic bread, and a drink.

$3 TOTAL $123 (w/Tyndale matching = $246.00) = 963 meals

I brought food instead of going to Jimmy Johns. The food was a little more expensive then a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so I'm putting the total as $3. I would not have gone to Starbucks since I ate lunch at work. We were working over lunch to learn more about interior book design.

$2.50 TOTAL $120 (w/Tyndale matching = $240.00) = 940 meals

no starbucks today, and a cheaper coffee at Carabou yesterday = $2.50.

$10.00 TOTAL $117.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $235.00) = 920 meals

I babysat for Gina's little boy, Kai, on Saturday. I felt bad taking money from her, but she said "Give half to Feed My Starving Children on your blog". Very kind of her! And it was fun watching Kai and Jonas together. I was worried Jonas wouldn't be too social, but they had fun together. They even played hide and seek together. It was adorable.

$10.00 TOTAL $107.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $215.00) = 842 meals

I GOT FREE BOOTS!
After reading my "boots" blog the other night, my friend Al, from work, brought in some boots and shoes that his wife doesn't wear anymore. She's a model and therefore needs to have a lot of clothing options at the ready. I kept a pair of boots and dress shoes that fit perfectly. That was so nice of them!
  So I'm giving $10 to Feed My Starving Children for the 2 shoes, assuming at Goodwill it would have been about that.

Feed My Starving Children Food Recipient Quotes

It was touching to see the children, dressed in their finest donated clothes and barefoot, make the walk to the house where they are fed. Children 5-8 years old were carrying their infant siblings and gave them such loving care. Many fed their younger siblings—and only ate after their siblings appeared fed.”- Robyn Moravetz, Tierra Santa orphanage, Honduras (November 2008) http://www.fmsc.org

boots

I'd like some new (or new to me) dress boots. I've had a pair of brown boots for 10 years, which I love, but they're falling apart completely. Last year they were pretty bad, but wearable, this year, they're done for. I think I'll be going to Goodwill this weekend to see if it's possible to find a similar pair. If not, then I'll go without, I've got other shoes. (shopping with Jonas can be hard though, I've got to go fast before he starts screaming).
    I feel like God's really working in my life this last year. I don't desire new things and clothes like I used to, it doesn't seem important. Don't get me wrong, I've got a long way to go, but I'm happy that I'm being worked on and improving.
    However, it wasn't so much things that I would buy last year, it was more of food "Jimmy Johns" and "Starbucks". Man, that really adds up. However, Jason and I rarely go out to eat at nicer restaurants, rarely go to movies (maybe twice a year), and haven't been on a vacation in 3 or 4 years. So most of this blog will be savings from, that's right, "Jimmy Johns" and "Starbucks". I'm thinking the workers there are probably wondering where their most popular customer went.

Vision of Feed My Starving Children

Feed My Starving Children's VisionWith God’s help Feed My Starving Children will strive to eliminate starvation in children throughout the world by helping to instill compassion in people to hear and respond to the cries of those in need.

Feed My Starving Children Commitment

Feed My Starving Children's Commitment to Excellence

• FMSC staff will follow Christian principles through Christ-centered living and actions. This will guide and direct our organization in fundraising and packaging and distributing food to those in need.
• We will encourage people of all beliefs to help us accomplish our mission.
• We will ensure our food ingredients are of the highest nutritional value to meet the needs of starving children.
• We will package our food through the use of volunteers to feed their spirits.
• We will partner with other humanitarian organizations to ensure safe transit and distribution of our food.
• We will distribute nutritious food to starving children throughout the world who are hungry in body and spirit.
• We will commit to supporting long-term feeding programs which help ensure the continued growth of the children who receive our food.
• We will promote public trust of our organization through efficient, cost-effective, and compassionate stewardship of our resources.
• We will provide for our employees a satisfying work environment that is based on trust, mutual respect, and doing the right thing.

$7.50 TOTAL $97.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $195.00) = 763.82 meals

Once again, I normally would have gotten Jimmy Johns for lunch and gone to Starbucks to read and drink an iced coffee. Instead, I brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Also, I've been doing the half hour workouts during lunch. So I'm feeling really good right now from working out instead of from a coffee. I must admit, before lunch I had no desire to work out, but since I can't go to Starbucks it makes it a lot easier.

$5.50 TOTAL $90.00 (w/Tyndale matching = $180.00) = 705.06 meals

didn't get jimmy johns today. brought the peanut butter and jelly again :)

$7.50 TOTAL $84.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $169.00) = 661 meals

Wanted Jimmy Johns for lunch and Starbucks. Instead I brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

$1.50 TOTAL $77.00 (w/Tyndale matching = $154.00) = 603 meals

didn't get the Starbucks iced coffee today. I'm going to go and work out for a half an hour instead. Tough.

$2 TOTAL $75.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $151.00) = 583 meals

Went to Caribou Coffee with Jason and Jonas this morning. I usually get an expensive drink ($3.50), but today I just got a regular coffee, nothing exciting except soy milk. Saved $2 (7.8 meals for Feed My Starving Children)

$1 donated to FeedMyStarvingChildren=4 meals (3.917 to be exact)

To get the total number of meals that will go to Feed My Starving Children take the dollar amount times 3.917. For example $1 donated equals almost 4 meals (to be exact 3.917 meals), so $100 equals 391 meals.

I'm sad that I didn't think of giving up more of these luxuries years ago. But it's so hard when you live in a comfortable city and aren't seeing those in need on a daily basis. I've been ignorant (and still am) to how most of the world lives.

$7.50 TOTAL $73.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $147.00) = 575 meals

I really wanted to get Jimmy Johns for lunch and then go to Starbucks to read. Instead I brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, again, and am staying at work. I need to come up with some other cheap sandwiches. Next week I might try to work out for a half an hour during lunch. My husband and I are having a working out contest this year.
  These blogs are going to start sounding the same. I'll probably just write the money amount and what I brought instead. I'll also start including some tidbits of info that I find inspiring. This blog thing is new to me.

$7.50 TOTAL $66.00 (w/Tyndale matching = $132.00)

really wanted Starbucks on the way to work. Instead I waited and had free work coffee.

I brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead of going to Jimmy Johns.

STATISTICS

"Today more than a billion people in the world live and die in desperate poverty. They attenpt to survive on less than a dollar a day. Close to two billion others live on less than two dollars per day. That's nearly half the world struggling today to find food, water, and shelter with the same amount of money I spend on french fries for lunch."

   "More than 26 thousand children today will breathe their last breathe due to starvation or preventable disease." David Platt "Radical"

for a donation of $88 you can feed a starving child for a year

https://www.fmsc.org   Our design team donated to Feed My Starving Children in 2010. And we helped pack the food for our Christmas party. It was really fun, seriously!

$2.50 TOTAL $58.50 (w/Tyndale matching = $117.00)

I didn't go to Starbucks today for my tall vanilla iced coffee and nice quite time reading. Stayed here at work. It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be.
    I'm not adding more donation money for the lunch unless it's a day when I actually would have eaten out. For example, today I had lunch so it wasn't an effort, but I would have gone to Starbucks, so I counted the $2.50. Tomorrow I may add lunch if I end up bringing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
    I just checked my Discover account. Last January (2010) I spent about $32 on Jimmy Johns, Subway, and Panera for lunches.
   Wow, I just checked February of last year and I spent around $85 out at those places. And that didn't include my Starbucks drinks. In March I spent around $79.
     So if I don't eat out all month I should save a lot. Especially if I make cheap things like peanut butter and jelly.

$6 TOTAL $56.00

Went to the movies tonight with a friend. I usually buy a small popcorn and small coke which adds up to about $6. I snuck in my own popcorn (I know, not ideal, but I really wanted popcorn) and had water from the fountain.

$50

(December 31st) not 2011 yet, but today I returned an expensive hair brush and another hair item that I don't really need.

my 2011 GOALS

Goal number one is what I'll be blogging mostly about.

1) Save as much as possible for Feed My Starving Children
- purchase clothes from goodwill, salvation army, or the like. Give the extra to charity.
- no unnecessary toys for Jonas: Garage sales or goodwill only.
- If I wanted desert, give that amount of money to charity instead

2) Read through the entire Bible (One Year Chronological NLT)

3) Try to find a way to volunteer without affecting my time with Jonas.