Secret Sale 2 of 3

I got Nathaniel a calendar from Walmart for his birthday (Used image at right for May).  Not sure if this one is the same,  but i was able to put pictures on the days even.  You can pick different layout and themes and customized messages on days, such as for birthdays and anniversaries.  This is a good deal if you are big on personalized greeting cards and/or gifts.

FREE CALENDAR (a $20 value) on orders of $50 or more.

Order by November 30, 2008.

Enter code SECRET2 in your shopping cart.

*Offer is valid for a free 12-month calendar. Qualifying orders do not include any prepaid or membership plans, gift certificates, film mailer bundles or orders placed for in-store pickup. Discounts, promotions or awards cannot be applied to purchase made from Shutterfly Pro galleries. 

Many other items are on sale for up to 50% off and free shipping* through the 3rd.

Free Shipping applies to orders of $25 or more. Enter special offer code SHIP25 at checkout. Offer ends December 3, 2008.

Black Friday

I am not a fan.  Well, i'm a fan of sales, but today has been a crazy day, i finished my shopping before 9a.  I did all my shopping on Amazon.com 

and i wish i could go into more detail on the great deals i snagged, but i can't for obvious reasons.  Although, i wish i had added more to my cart last night.  I did a lot of browsing and figuring out and only added something when i knew that's what i wanted.  However, i found that the selection had drastacly dropped.  For example, last night it says that thousands of DVDs were on sale starting at $4.99.  This morning it said hundreds.  Now it's over 200 starting at $4.99 and 122 available starting at $8.49.  I am happy with the selection though.  Besides the site being a little buggy, it was an overable enjoyable experience and i was happy to avoid the crowds...or so i thought.

I had actually already encountered crowds the night before.  We were out of milk so i stopped at Albertson's on my way home from work.  I had a hard time finding a spot, which should've been a red flag to go home.  I go inside and there are people everywhere, and i was looking for an ad and didn't find one (there was a coupon in it that if you buy four Kellog's cereal, you get a free gallon of milk).  So i go home and we just had ramen for dinner.  I couldn't deal with it.  I found the ad we got in the mail under my desk, where i placed it for "safe keeping."  Sure enough, i found the coupon in it, but it had expired yesterday.  We still need milk.  Today i stopped at Target on my way home from a bridal shower (i'll get back to this) and in the middle of shopping, Nathaniel calls and asks where i am (he's at work) because our landlord was at our place in response to a complaint about the hard water (nasty deposits on everything but they don't want to buy a water softener).  He asks if i even have a Target gift card...oops.  I put the milk back and left the cart.  I was parked pretty far away and had to go back through the mall.  I knew i should've put off Target until after i got home.  So that's twice i had to fight crowds for no reason.

Make that thrice.  Or two and a half times?  I stopped at Macy's this morning in between getting my hair cut and the bridal shower.  I was later getting to the salon than i had intended, but i got out at 11a so i was still making good time.  If i already had a gift, i would've been on time.  But i had put it off, so i stopped at Macy's in Fashion Island and all that took an hour just for a muffin pan.  The thing is, we have a Macy's right by us.  It's what i parked by when i went to Target.  I need to not put off things.  I was worried about money and was going to try to find something at Target that was similar to something on the registry, but all of a sudden it was today and i was without a gift.  So i ended up getting there 90min late.  I only stayed an hour because there were only two other girls i knew, so i left when they did.  I'm not good with people, be it large crowds or a roomful of women.

Yesterday we did snag some good deals though.  If you aren't familiar with CVS, they sometimes have deals where you get cash back on your store card for future purchases.  These are called Extra Care Bucks (ECB).  So bear with me as i be weird and post my purchases.  There is a point.  Oh and check out how long the receipt was!

$1.00 Hershey's Cookies 'N' Cream

$2.99 Aussie spray gel

$7.99 Schick Quattro

$2.99 Colgate Total Advance

$6.99 L'oreal lipgloss

$3.79 Sally Hansen Max Growth nail polish

$3.79 Sally Hansen Max Growth nail polish

$3.99 5hr Extra (energy) shot 2pk

$5.99 Covergirl Smoother 

$1.49 Gatorade 20oz

$0.05 Bottle Deposit

$1.49 Gatorade 20oz

$0.05 Bottle Deposit

$1.49 Gatorade 20oz

$0.05 Bottle Deposit

-1.00 coupon

-1.50 coupon

-2.00 coupon

-3.00 coupon

36.64 Subtotal

  2.99 Tax

39.63 Total

After subtracting the $32.22 in ECB's, the total spending was $7.41.  But wait, that's not all!  I'm taking back the Covergirl thing because Nathaniel got the wrong one (it was the pressed powder that had a deal and it's not something i'd use unless free) and one of the nail polishes (they are close in color to each other and i have plenty), because i had told him it was limit two, but i see from the receipt they only gave us ECB's for one.  So after i do that (and get back $10.54 including tax), the grand total will be $-3.13.  Yup, they paid us three bucks to take all that stuff!

Obligatory Thanksgiving Post

Well, i'm going to be totally cliche and do a thanksgiving post, because i have much to be thankful for.  I hate to sound cheesy, but i can't help it if it's true.  I first must state that i give thanks to God for everything, and i'm not just "thankful" in general.  There is someone to give thanks to, and that is the great Provider.  That being said, i'm of course thankful for my salvation, air to breathe, but that's a given.

I thank God for my husband.  He is wonderful, so caring, and my very best friend.  There are not enough words to describe how much i love Him.  I praise God every day for putting this man into my life.  On Sunday our pastor did a thanksgiving sermon, and saved some time for people to come up and say what they are thankful for.  My DH goes up and say "Proverb 18:22 says 'he who finds a wife finds a good thing.'"  Squee!

I thank God for rain. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning it was pouring. First i noticed of it was a loud, long rumble of thunder. I was utterly confused because even though i have forecasts for Long Beach and Westminster on my iGoogle page, i never pay attention to the weather, so i didn't know it was going to rain. I was so excited and wanted to run outside barefoot. My brain and husband thought otherwise, so instead i just sat on the bunkcouch and watched the rain. The next day i was so glad i had a lot to do at the payroll computer because there is a huge window behind it, which set a beautiful backdrop. Weird thing is, i went to the other computer for a second, and when i turned around again it had completely stopped! It was just pouring. Upon closer observation, it was still drizzling, but that slowly tapered off as the sun came out. Then, not too long after that, a guy in shades and Rainbows walks up the alley (i face a side of a Marriot Courtyard, which often lends me interesting stories about people in the alley or balconies), places down a beach chair, pulls out a newspaper, and starts reading. It was like a Snickers or Coke commercial of some sort. Here is this dude, in the middle of a business district in the fall, looking like he's ready for some surf & sun. I guess i'm thankful for that too, because he was there a while and gave us a good laugh.

I thank God for holiday milk. Target has a new line of seasonal flavored milk under their Market Pantry brand. So far i've only had mint chocolate, but there is also Pumpkin Spice and Candy Cane. We are going to pick up the Pumpkin Spice today because Nathaniel doesn't like pumpkin, so we'll take it to a place where there are more people to try it (i can't drink a quart of milk on my own. We'll be trying out the Candy Cane one while we decorate. Nathaniel is weary and not sure if he would like it, nor am i. I like candy canes/peppermint flavor to an extent, but it has to be in the right way. There was a candy cane cake that was really pushing it. It's usually better with chocolate (like peppermint bark or Christmas Oreos....which i do have) I guess we could make shakes if it doesn't turn out too well. Guess we'll find out Saturday. Speaking of shakes, the mint chocolate milk SUPERB mixed with mint chip ice cream and mint chocolate Bailey's. MmmmmmMM!

I thank God for freedom. We were watching 24 last night. I know it's just a show, but it's not fantasy. Things are really bad around the world and we may complain about our government and systems from time to time, but it's humbling to remember that it could be worse, and the amazing grace that God has bestowed upon us. And then with the recent attacks in India...what a better time than ever to consider supporting a native missionary through Gospel for Asia. The founder, KP, says India's poverty is probably largely due to their false religions, and that America has been blessed because of the beliefs she was founded on. Something to think about. They offer a free book, Revolution in World Missions, that is gripping, powerful, and convicting. Yes, times are hard and it doesn't make sense for the economy to send money out of the country, but if you are Christian, then remember the Kingdom to which your loyalties lie.

I thank God for potatoes. I love, love love 'em! In any way, shape, or form! Mashed potatoes is a thanksgiving staple, and i hope that Nathaniel's 'rents will have some. If not, i'm sure mine will. Yeah, we're house-hopping today. The Watkins always have a thanksgiving lunch, while the Groves have the traditional dinner. Makes it easy on us, but i hope we remember to wear something loose so there is enough room for all that food!

I could write a book (encyclopedia?) on what i'm thankful for, but that's all for this year! Maybe Google will make it next year. They didn't this year because i closed my Reader with a few hundred read items and the next time i opened it, there weren't any! I went to start checking some that i definitely wanted to read, but the
"keep unread" box was gone. I googled (ironic?) the problem, and it seems that happens when you click "mark all as read." I didn't though. I couldn't even find a button that does that to everything, just per feed. I'm kind of upset, because that helped me keep track of what i hadn't read on New Reformation yet. Ah well, i think i've found most of the posts from all my posts that i wanted to come back and read. I should start relying on stars and labels more.

Now go eat some yummy food and snag great deals (Black "Friday" actually starts today and runs through Sunday for many places).  Treasure God's blessing and remember the original thanksgiving feast (they were running so low on food because the colony was originally communist).  Happy Thanksgiving!

Me Encanta...

• The way my husband makes Turkey sandwiches
• Extra tomato from sandwich as a snack
• Chevron around corner from house: $2.05/gal (Arco i pass on way home is $1.99, but it's all about Chevron and Shell for me)
• Credit score up to 683 ^__^
• Only one more day of work until a four day weekend & turkey, POTATOES, and pumpkin!

Secret Sale 1 of 3

I got an email from Shutterfly and it told me to pass it on, so i thought, "sure, why not?" It’s good for 3 days only Order by November 27, 2008. Enter code SECRET1 in your shopping cart for a FREE 16x20 collage poster (a $20 value) on orders of $50 or more. I'm not even getting paid to say that. -__-

* Qualifying orders do not include any prepaid or membership plans, gift certificates, film mailer bundles or orders place for in-store pickup. Discounts, promotions or awards cannot be applied to purchases made from Shutterfly Pro galleries. Shipping and handling charges will apply to the order.

While i'm at it, i'll take this time to say that if you sign up for SMS alerts from Redbox.com, they'll text you a code for a free movie rental on Mondays, which is only good for Monday. After that, it's their standard charge of $1/day. Also, new members get a free rental. Nathaniel didn't even know this when he signed up. $1.08 lost -_- Teehee. So what are you watiting for? Oh, too busy with free shows and movies on Hulu.com?

Hanukkah:Fulfilled!

Here is the first installment of my new Fulfilled! series. Stores everywhere are decked out for the holidays, so this seems a relevant place to start. Do keep in mind this is an experiment and i'm not trying to uncover new truths or anything. We no longer have obligation to follow any feasts as we are made righteous by Christ's blood. With that, we have the freedom to celebrate as we choose (following that it's good).

To start, I took the definition/meaning of Hanukkah from joi.org and updated some BC words. So many things in the New Testament has an Old Testament shadow, so I amThe word Hanukkah means rededication. It commemorates our particular salvation (as opposed to the rededication of the Temple after desecration by outside forces). I don't mean it in the sense that we run down an aisle and give our lives to Jesus again, but celebrating in a more obvious way than an average day of the year. Of course we should be praising God for this fact daily, but it doesn't hurt to have a special day (or week) to remember this, especially if you "forget" easily, as sin causes us to. It reaffirms the presence of grace in the continuing struggle to live Christian lives in a culture hostile to God's commandments. When we dedicate ourselves, through faith and action, to the pursuit of high religious and human ideals, Christianity is strong. That imperative, to strengthen our faith and brothers, remains an important challenge at this season, in every generation. This is an important point...what a gem this is, and oh so relevant. This is what we need more of: a dedication of faith and action. We need to keep daily in the Word and part of a local ekklesia to strengthen our faith. We need to dedicate ourselves to finding ways to act out that faith through one-anothering and service. We need to aim high, because in our sin we shall constantly fail. Christianity will retain a strong presence and grow if we work and pray hard to keep our faith and brethren strong. This is challenging in a season of extreme materialism and increased faux-Christians. This is true year after year and shall remain true until Christ returns.

Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights and the story of the oil that lasted for 8 days (how long it took the high priest to make some more) is famous, but I found that the sites I looked at prefers to emphasize how they got to the point where they only had one day's worth of oil left, and just throws the miracle of the longevity as a side note. Of course I realize that these sites tend to be more liberal and a bit new agey because an Orthodox Jew isn't going to really care about making a website to tell others about their religion.  The focus is instead put on the fact that so many Jews were being Hellenized under Syrian rule. The ruler tried to force them to bow down to idols and sacrifice pigs (read: NOT kosher). The Jews rebelled and won against odds in classic fashion. It's tooted as a triumph over assimilation even though it is the most assimilated holiday, with the Hanukkah bush, exchange of presents, Hanukkah lights. Irony at its best.

The thing that sets Christianity apart of Judaism is grace. We have grace and don't have codes to follow, so to celebrate in a secular way is not a sin in and of itself, just easy to commit idolatry (eg materialism, gluttony, etc.) But because of this grace, we can incorporate Hanukkah into our Christian celebrations as a way to celebrate the whole story of salvation. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus (coming of the Messiah) but leaves you hanging until Spring as to what that means. We can celebrate the grace that God has given us in giving us his Son to be the propitiator of our sins and the graces to grow in and live out that faith He has granted us. It is only by God's grace that we can rebel against assimilation (of doctrine) and remember the true Light.

I'm glad that visibly the menorah seems to be central to Hanukkah. That makes it easier to transition to what it means to a Christian. In the Temple, there were 7 lampstands (menorahs -although the kind used in the temple only had 7 branches, as opposed to the 8/9 of Hanukkah). The lampstands, showbread, incense...everything in the Temple (and the Temple itself) were but shadows of things to come. The fulfillment of the menorah is threefold.

1. Revelation 1:12-20 indicates local churches are represented by golden lampstands
2. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)
3. Christians are to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14-16)

Whoever follows Jesus Christ will have the light of life, and thus shall be a light to the world.  We have to remember this time and always to stand firm in the faith, sharing the gospel whenever possible, and living, by God's grace, to be Christlike.  It's a miracle that God enabled one day's worth of oil to burn for 8 nights, but oh the miracle of bringing men dead in their sins to life and to be a light to the rest of the dead, dark world.  This Christmas season, let's not forget these important facts and mercies.  We deserve death and God not only gives us life, but uses us to strengthen our brothers and share Light with the world.

For more information, please visit Got Questions?org (Christians on Hanukkah) and Chabad.org (info on Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays).

New Layout!

Even though i love bright colors (or none at all), I've really been liking green and brown lately, plus i've been wanting a third column. I tried to add one to my old layout, but it wouldn't cooperate and looked all sorts of silly. This one is very plain, but it leaves me freedom to post more colorful pictures and such. I just felt like a change. :)

Hope you all are staying safe. Pray for those being evacuated from their homes, and that the Christians will remember that all our treasures are in Heaven anyway. I am really connected to my things and i just wonder what i would grab in an emergency. A friend told me her friend just grabbed the Bibles, the dog, and the kids, threw them all in the car and left. Someone else started packing as soon as there was a warning in case they do have to evacuate. I think I would be the latter, but the former didn't miss anything important. Even those of you not in the path, i hope you aren't suffering from the smoke. Remember to keep those windows shut, because carbon monoxide is dangerous even if you don't notice!

I just got back from a bachelorette party to find men's discipleship still going on. >.< So i'm locked in the bedroom. -__- Not that i mind though; i would only have a problem with it if my computer were in the living room. ^__^

Me Encanta...

Albertson's mix & match sale!

6 Cup O' Noodles
2 Ragu Sauce packets
bread
2 Pillsbury Cookie Dough
Country Crock
3 Chicken Helpers
4 Hamburger Helpers
2 Progresso soups
5 Lipton Rice
2 boxes of pasta

Total: $38.12
Preferred savings: $30.50

Then for buying enough of the featured items, we got $15 in store credit. So we essentially got all that for $23.12. Now that's what i'm talking about!

Me Encanta...

New feature: i will try to post whenever i think of something that brings a smile to my face. The general goal is one a day. It shall be something small, no in-depth article or anything, but the simple things in life. I want to hear what gives YOU happies.

...the dark/light swirls that appear when cream is poured into a cup of tea.

...the lack of traffic on holidays (the bright side of having to work).

^__^

Fulfilled!

::shuffles out sheepishly and waves::
Hi.

Guess i have neglected writing yet again. It's no surprise. I would be even longer had i chose to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. We are now nine days into the month and i haven't written anything yet, so maybe next year. That is my life motto: maybe next ____(fill in the blank).

However, i am embarking on a new project that i hope to stick with through it's completion. Fortunately, due to it's nature, i have an entire year to finish it. The past couple years i have been trying to figure out holidays and why we celebrate them. It's no doubt that it's mainly attributed to culture and tradition. I grew up loving Christmas decorations and as i got older, i was the only to put up the lights and any yard display. We all would participate in decorating the tree. Well, actually, it would depend on how my mom was feeling that year. Kids don't produce very high quality trees, do they? Throwing handfuls of tinsel on and bunching ornaments together. One year she told us we could only put on our "silly" (handmade and my Little Mermaid ones i punched out of a magazine or something) ornaments in the back. Another year, if i remember correctly, we had two trees. One traditional pine with all (and i mean ALL) the trimmings, and then a small silver one with all new ornaments that played music. But i digress. We didn't celebrate Halloween when i was a kid, but instead went to harvest festivals. Puh-leez, who there is really celebrating God's gift of vegetation or what? It's just a Halloween fair in a church parking lot, but it satisfies people. Is satisfaction enough? Then there's Easter eggs and stuff. I loved decorating eggs and celebrated Jesus' resurrection, not any fertility goddess. My parents never had us believe in Santa or the Easter bunny.

1. I don't have it figured out fully about Christmas, but to just evaluate carefully any activity or symbol i endorse. I decided to stop being sore (for the most part) about stores that start putting up their holiday stock in October. Also about people that leave their lights up all year long. Who says it has anything to do with Christmas? They should even turn them on, because it looks nice. We have some deer on our balcony that my mom didn't want any more. I wanted something for our balcony because it looks to empty otherwise. Until i find a lifesize Iron Man, this will suffice. Also, i try to call Christmas "Arrival of the Messiah" but am passively looking for a shorter name.  I feel that by calling it a different name, we are bringing emphasis to the fact that we still know the reason for the season.  I mean, Christ Mass?  We need something more fitting.
   
2. Like how we call Easter Ressurection Sunday.  I haven't decorated eggs in a while only but i haven't had the opportunity either, so i haven't evaluated that.  A few years ago i went to a sunrise service, and i do want to do that every year.  Stuff just keeps happening.  Maybe now being married it will be easier (two people trying to wake up on time).  The one thing i have thought about for Easter is how sad that even in churches (as i don't expect secular society to recognize this) is how overlooked Good Friday is and how Easter seems to get second billing to Christmas.  Anyone can be born, but only Christ died for our sins and rose again.  These holidays need a lot more attention in the Protestant realm.
3. I celebrate Reformation day just as one would celebrate Halloween.  Why?  The Roman Catholic church dressed up their lies as truth.  We wear costumes and does anyone really believe we are who we are masquerading as?  This shows the foolishness of the church pre-Reformation on the day before the Catholic All Saints' Day.  Then you may ask what's with all the decorations?  It's just my personality...i like the color black and skulls and a lot of that stuff all year round; as i do wearing costumes.  With this holiday, i don't care to convice others because it's not in the Bible.  Neither is Christmas and Easter, but the concepts behind them are, so i will try to convince, but if someone wants to take a Puritan stance, then that's fine as long as they have good reasoning.  I almost became a Christian scrooge, which didn't seem right, so i went through multiple reevalutions with the holiday formerly know as Christmas.
4. I can't stand Valentine's Day but my husband likes it.  Looks like i'll be needing to figure this one out in the next few months.

So my new project?  To assess Jewish holidays and see if i can commandeer them as the Catholic church commandeered Pagan holidays.  Why?  Christianity is Judaism, fulfilled, right?  I want the holidays to be fulfilled as well.  "But Becky, fulfillment means we don't have to observe these Holy Days anymore."  We don't HAVE to, but i want to, as an American whose culture is so party-centered.  I'm only posting this in case anyone wants to join in, but not trying to push it as a new requirement!  We have so many holidays in this country.  If we have two holidays to remember the veterans, then i want even more to remember what God has done for us.  "But Becky, you should be doing that all year long."  So why not specific days to help you in case you slipped or a day to refresh you if you were getting dry?  We have church every week because it's so easy to slip in just a week. So i thought, why not add more days and reasons to celebrate? I just can't stand inconsitancy, so any reason i can think of against this would throw out any other holiday as well. Plus, just as the holidays with pagan roots retained the practices, i intend to retain the feasts. I'm not really a "live to eat" person, but i do love food, especially right now since i'm hungry.

So now i'm going to grab some leftover pizza and head off to church. Stay tuned for the first installment - Hannukah: Fulfilled!