Welcome to another
Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!
Each week I share ways I've saved money, my thrifty and frugal projects, and my blessings from God.
I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!
Please say hello! I'm always looking for new blog friends!
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Happy Christmas everyone!
Ready or not, here we are... Christmas weekend is here. Am I ready? No not really. It's just a different kind of Christmas for our family this year. The truth is that it would be a different kind of Christmas even if I hadn't spent my year going through all the cancer treatments. The kids are growing up, and things are just different. It's time to find a new normal again. Maybe you're trying to find your new normal, too. Let's do our best to focus on the good, the happy, the sprinkles of joy, the quiet moments, the true reason we are celebrating...the love of Jesus that has given us new life and hope for the future. Let's make sure we're taking moments to focus on our LORD and savior Jesus Christ not just as a baby in a manger but as savior of the world and the one who redeems us and gives us hope for the future.
Ready or not, here we are... Christmas weekend is here. Am I ready? No not really. It's just a different kind of Christmas for our family this year. The truth is that it would be a different kind of Christmas even if I hadn't spent my year going through all the cancer treatments. The kids are growing up, and things are just different. It's time to find a new normal again. Maybe you're trying to find your new normal, too. Let's do our best to focus on the good, the happy, the sprinkles of joy, the quiet moments, the true reason we are celebrating...the love of Jesus that has given us new life and hope for the future. Let's make sure we're taking moments to focus on our LORD and savior Jesus Christ not just as a baby in a manger but as savior of the world and the one who redeems us and gives us hope for the future.
Well, enough for now—on to my blessings and a bit of our thrifty life.
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~~~~~A Verse for You
"Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable,
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,
think about such things."
Philippians 4:8~~~~~
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Here's my thrifty week!
- My husband, Lowell, made ten cubic feet of real estate investment!
- Three cubic feet for me this week. Wonder what I mean? Read this, then go make an investment today!
- My daughter, Amy, cleared out several cubic feet of real estate, too.
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| I'm using a free photo from Pixabay for my desktop. |
- Ramen noodles for lunch one day.
- Eating things we had on hand this week.
- I shopped for things my children need for Christmas.
That's my thrifty week.
What are you doing in your home this week?
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May you find peace and joy this Christmas regardless of your situation.
ღLauraღ
...doing what I can with what I've got
where I am on a short shoestring budget!
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Normal changes as we get older. New normal can be good too.
ReplyDeleteMay you and your family have a blessed Christmas. Thankful praise sent up for the greatest gift of all - Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas
Laura, it did really sneak up quickly this year didn't it? Seems it was just Nov 1st and now, Lordy, it's Christmas almost. I know what you mean about finding a new normal. Our daughters have their families now and we order the grandkids presents online and travel to all meet up where the kids can swim in the hotel pool together during summer vacation. Christmas now means going all out on decorations and enjoying the spirit of Christmas. I haven't had to wrap a present for years (the moms wrap the grandkids for us) as we adults don't need anything so it's just focus on the little ones. Life is sweeter these days, have you noticed that too? Merry Christmas to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thrifty week you had! And thank you for the reminder to keep Jesus in our Christmas.
ReplyDeleteFor my thrifty week:
Picked up a box of brown sugar from Dollar Tree to make sugar scrubs for my girls.
Avoided the temptation to order pizza this week by cooking from my freezer.
Used my Amazon gift card to order a book, though as I sit here I wonder if I clicked the " Place Order" button
Bought Walmart brand Clorox 2 that was half the price of regular Clorox 2.
That's it. You have a very Merry Christmas! Your family is beautiful by the way!
Laura,
DeleteAs I suspected I forgot to hit the "Place Order" button which is unfortunate because the book I wanted turned out to be the last copy.
Fiddle faddle foo! So sorry for you! I hope you can get the book later.
DeleteHugs to you for Christmas, thank you for investing your kindness, love and prayers
in my life this year.
Laura
Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring you and yours joy and contentment.
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas. You know the make up of the family changes each year but the love is always there. That's what counts!
ReplyDeleteLove the family photo! Thanks so much for sharing. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas. He is with you.
DeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading about your thrifty accomplishments each week. No matter if it's large or small, it all add up! Sometimes change is hard, but I've found that each season of life brings joy. Just sometimes a little different than we might have hoped. :)
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year!
Wendi
We're praying for you, Laura! Good nutrition is so important for good health. Please don't eat ramen noodles because of their high sodium content and they have no nutritional value. Some very inexpensive and healthy foods are dried pinto beans, cooked in the crock pot, canned or fresh sweet potatoes, cooked cabbage, frozen greens, canned fruit in its own juice/no sugar. I'm a retired Home Ec. teacher. I know you may not feel like cooking much, but another very healthy, inexpensive meat dish is 1 can of salmon or mackerel, mixed with 1 egg, 1 grated potato, seasonings, shape into patties and bake at 350 for 40 min. You can also add a grated carrot. God bless.
ReplyDeleteHello dear friend. A Merry Christmas to you all! Jack and I will be officially joining our church on Christmas day! How excited and nervous we are. Not good in front of people! I just love the picture of your sweet family!
ReplyDeleteI think that's fabulous! What a way to celebrate our Savior!
DeleteHave a terrific time. Things are really looking up for you and Jack.
Hugs,
Laura
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteMay you and your family have a blessed Christmas! The picture of your family is beautiful!
Sarah
Thank you Sarah, Merry Christmas and God bless you!
DeleteI know what you mean about family changes. My husband went from HUGE family gatherings (he was 8 of 9) in SoCal to just him, me, & our pooch here in Kansas. It doesn't bother me at all as my family made me NUTS. We just started some new traditions for holidays.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you for a very happy Christmas.
I'm glad you've made new traditions. Happy happy Christmas!
DeleteNew normals here, too. There will be no children here on Christmas morning this year. But it is okay. We are learning to really enjoy our couple time together and so this is another way. We will only have one of our six grandchildren here over Christmas but God has done such a sweet thing for us. Friends who married later in life and could not have their own children are now foster parents. They have a 4 year old and a 19 mo old in their home now and those children have been such a comfort to our hearts with our local grandchildren moving to Germany. When they see us they light up and have to tell us everything that has happened since we saw them last. And such sweet smiles. It had to be God and we are so blessed to have them in our lives. Wishing you and yours a very blessed Christmas. I find that God has really shown us how to just rest this year and we can really enjoy those times so I pray rest for you and no worry over things that you were not able to do this year. Much love.
ReplyDeleteOh Lana,
DeleteGod has been so good to you!
Happy Christmas.
Laura
Best wishes for the holidays and the New Year. Your decor is very festive and pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe new normal for us has bothered me more this year than before. Our grown kids and their children were here Dec.9 and we celebrated our family Christmas time then. We have a couple of things to do on Christmas eve and Christmas day, but none of it involves out kids or grandkids....mostly us 'old' folks. It kind of makes me sad. :(( I'm going to try to sit down and read my Bible more those days. Merry Christmas to you all!
ReplyDeleteDear Laura, What a beautiful family you have!
ReplyDeleteMy children are all grown up and I'm trying to find my new normal this year too. It's all new and different. But a good thing too.
Bless you and your family.
Merry Christmas!
Laurie
Blessed and Merry Christmas to a beautiful, inspiring, faith filled woman!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Billie Jo. Blessed and Merry Christmas to a kind, generous, creative, faith filled woman!
DeleteWishing you a Merry Christmas and a HAPPY,HEALTHY,BLESSED 2018.
ReplyDeleteMarion and family
Thank you Marion! Merry Christmas!
DeleteMerry Christmas Laura!
ReplyDeleteMany blessings. I still enjoy reading your posts. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family.
Why thank you, Annie. I hope you have a very pleasant Jesus focused Christmas.
DeleteHugs,
Laura
So beautifully put Laura! We do have to look for the good even amongst trials in our lives. Happy 2018!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Blessings to you Jann.
DeleteLaura