From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Eight
Meal Planning and the Grocery Store
Scripture Memory: ”She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.” Proverbs 31:14
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Before you can cook a delicious meal for your family, you will need to have a pantry stocked with good foods. You will be able to prepare a wide variety of recipes if you have the basics already in your cupboard.
Grocery shopping with small children in tow is not always fun, so if you are able to do this when your husband is able to watch the children, you will be able to get done faster and probably save more money. Another option would be to trade off grocery shopping days with a friends and watch each other’s children on grocery day.
You want to prepare for your shopping trip. A good day to plan your weekly shopping is the day you clean out the refrigerator or perhaps the day after. Plan your meals(2) for the coming week. I typically do this a week ahead of time, but you can do it however you prefer.
To shop wisely and save more money, when you are planning your meals, have the weekly sales flyer available and plan as many meals around good deals as you can.
Make a shopping list of those items that are missing from your pantry. Make a list of those special things you need to prepare the recipes for each meal. Make a list of other items that you will need to prepare desserts and/ or snacks during the week. When planning snacks, think healthy – dried fruit versus candy, baked chips versus fried…
Remember that some foods are wants and other foods are needs. Foods that provide good nutrition are the needs! Try to limit the amount of processed and refined foods that you bring into your home. Whole foods – living foods – will provide the nutrition your family needs.
When planning your meals you want to think of colors. If your plate is all one color, you are missing out on important vitamins and minerals. For instance, serving sides of potatoes and corn mean serving foods that are similar – both starches. Instead of serving these in the same meal, try serving a green vegetable, a white vegetable and a yellow/ orange vegetable.
It can be fun to read cookbooks to get new ideas. You can learn a lot about what foods and flavors work well together by reading recipes. I love to cook foods from different cultures. By offering a wide variety of foods and flavors to your children when they are young, you will train them to not be picky eaters. I believe that children should be required to eat at least a small portion of everything you serve. When I was young, I didn’t much care for turnip greens, but after years of eating my greens, I grew to love them! It is possible to train – or even retrain – your taste buds!
Ever heard the term “acquired taste?” This is because some foods do take a certain level of “getting used to” before you fully enjoy them.
When planning your grocery shopping, go through your coupons for bargains on items you regularly purchase or would like to try. Use coupons as much as possible, but always compare prices and brands. Store brands very often are as good a quality as the name brand product. By in bulk those items that you use frequently when they go on sale. You can begin using a price book(3) and track sales and sale prices.
Planning, shopping, and preparing meals should be a source of joy, of true contentment in your life. By planning ahead, you will know what you are going to cook each day. You won’t panic at 4:00 when you suddenly realize the dinner hour is approaching. Instead you will have prepared a balance meal. You will know that over the course of a week, your family has benefited from a variety of nutritious foods and that their bodies have been cared for.
God has given you the awesome responsibility of feeding your family. Embrace it!
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Posted in A Joyful Home, At Home, Audio Downloads, Devotionals, Family Life, Free Printables, Frugal Living, Home Management, Household Notebooks, In the Kitchen, Menu Plans, The Prepared Pantry | 2 comments »
I apologize for posting this so late today. We were gone to Kingsport all day yesterday. My daughter, Sarah, had an appointment with the gastroenterologist and it was just a really long day. I was exhausted when I got home and just wasn’t able to get to it. I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday and that you are blessed abundantly today!
From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirteen
Money Matters
Scripture Memory: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” Proverbs 31:11
Download the .pdf version of this article.
Yesterday we discussed being dependable and trustworthy. Today, I want to focus on the second portion of the verse above.
In some families, mom takes care of the majority of the finances. In others, dad is the one who makes the decisions. Regardless of who pays the bills or manages the budget, it is up to you to be faithful with the money that your husband has given you control of.
I have known wives who simply ran their husbands into the poor house because of the “need” to shop and have pretty, new clothes or household items. For a husband, money is always a concern. Will he make enough to pay for all the expenses? Will he be able to save for a nice retirement? Can he provide his bride with all the pretty things her heart desires?
Most men, at least in the beginning, want to please their wives with nice things. It can be demoralizing for man if he feels his wife is not pleased with the amount of material possessions he is able to provide given his talents and career.
So, it is important that you use money wisely and with discretion. Do not purchase items that you truly do not need. If your closet is already packed with clothes that fit and are in good shape, resist the urge to go shopping for excess.
If you have been given a budget of $500 to purchase groceries and other household items each month, see how much money you can save and put in the bank. Just because you have been given that much money, does not mean you must spend every penny! It is always better to save money than to spend money.
Do you ever feel guilty after a purchase because you know your husband would not approve? It is never a good idea to hide your spending from your husband. Show him that you are capable of making wise financial choices and he is more likely to give you greater freedom in spending money.
If your husband has a difficult time controlling his own spending, you can help him by being practical and faithful with your own spending. Discuss the possibility of setting up a household budget with your husband. Write up a possible budget that he can tweak in order to get the ball rolling.
One of the easiest methods of controlling spending is by using the “envelope” system. Determine the amount of income you have. Allot monies toward bills and other regular spending categories such as tithing, groceries, rent, insurance, and gasoline. Place the allotted money in a marked envelope for each month. When the money is gone, don’t take from another envelope, you have reached your limit. This method can be helpful for both the husband and wife. If your budget allows, give each spouse a practical amount of money that is for his or her own enjoyment and that you do not have to be held accountable to the other spouse.
The Proverbs 31 woman’s husband did not have to worry about his wife’s spending habits because he knew she was frugal and sought out the best value for her money. He also knew that she would not make decisions about large purchases without consulting him. Give your husband the respect he deserves and discuss large purchases with him before the fact! Honor his decision, even if you do not agree.
Whatever you financial situation, ask God to hold you accountable AND help you to be content. List any resentment or difficulties you have when it comes to money. Add these to your daily prayer list for the next week or until your feel in your heart that the issues have been resolved.
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From Chaos to Calm: 15 Weeks to a Happy Home is a daily devotion – Monday through Friday for 15 Weeks by Melissa Ringstaff. The Audio Podcast gives you extra ideas to go along with the email series or e-book.
Here an image you can pin to Pinterest or use on your own blog: (Of course, you are welcome to use the image above as well!!)
How do you and your husband handle the finances in your home?
P.S. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the book titled Healing Your Marriage When Trust Is Broken by Cindy Beall.
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From Chaos to Calm: Day Twelve
The Heart of Her Husband
Scripture Memory: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” Proverbs 31:11
You can download the .pdf version of this article here.
Trust
Trust is a powerful influence in our marriages. When we commit our lives to one man, we have made a commitment to be trustworthy. The most obvious form of trust in a marriage involves the bounds of monogamy. We trust that our spouse will remain faithful physically as well as emotionally to us.
This means that as wives, we will not allow ourselves to become involved with other men in any manner which would bring harm to our marriage relationship. The easiest way to not have an emotional or even physical affair is to never be alone with another man. Never confide your problems in another man. If you become emotionally dependant on someone other than your husband and God you are setting yourself up to be led astray. Remember that your husband is the head of you, just as Christ is the head of the church.
If you do become involved with a man other than your husband you will cause him pain, dishonor, hurt, and he will no longer trust you. You will risk losing your husband as well as your children and everything you hold dear. It is much better to simply “play it safe” and stay away from danger!
While adultery is one of the most painful forms of breaking trust there are many other ways we can cause our husbands to not trust us.
Are you dependable?
Can your husband know that if he needs to bring a co-worker home that the house will be reasonably neat? We will be looking at this in depth in a few days, but for now simply think about it. If your husband goes to work each day, can he trust that you will take care of your duties to the best of your ability?
If your husband asks you to make a phone call, do you forget? Do you think ahead and make plans to iron his shirts before they are needed?
Can he trust that your moods will remain relatively even most of the time and that he knows what to expect when he comes home? Or must he wonder what is in store for his arrival?
Do you make sure that basic items in your home are stocked for use? Do you run out of toothpaste or toilet paper unexpectedly? Do you have on hand his favorite drink or snacks if this is what pleases him?
Are you unorganized and lose papers, bills, or other documents on a regular basis? Do you fight to find socks or lose his favorite shorts in the pile?
Are you a thoughtful mother?
A husband knows his wife loves him by how well she treats his children. If you are always at your wits end, frustrated, yelling, crying, or just plain too busy to pay attention to the children what message is your husband receiving?
- Do you insure that your children are clean and well groomed?
- Do you speak softly and lovingly to your children when they need correction or do you punish them out of anger?
- Do you feed your children well, or are you sloppy with their nourishment?
- Do you train your children in the Lord’s way, or do you find it to be too hard?
Do you spend money unwisely?
So many women are guilty of spending money on wasteful items that bring little enjoyment, little value, and little worth to their homes.
Can your husband trust you to look for ways to save money on groceries? Can he trust you to do your best to see that food is not wasted due to not preparing it before it spoils or due to not using up what is left over?
Can your husband trust you not to spend too much money on food items that are weak and provide little to no nutrients for your family?
Can your husband trust you not to spend money lavishly on clothes, household items, or entertainment simply because you love to spend money? Or do you find yourself inventing ways to use up the money you have?
Can your husband trust you not to run him into debt?
As wives we should endeavor to be trustworthy in running our households – whether that means shopping for new clothes and groceries, caring for the little ones, or caring for our husbands needs.
Today, I simply want you to make a note of a few things you know you have been lacking on your part that might cause your husband not to trust you completely. We will be talking more about making lists and how list making can help you later in the challenge.
For today, make a list of things you need to remember – husband’s dry cleaning, children’s doctor’s appointments, groceries, etc. Keep it in a handy place, such as the kitchen counter or up on the refrigerator. Go back to it as often as possible to insure that you will not forget the little things that can mean so much.
Pray for a dependable spirit. Ask God to make you a trustworthy mate for your husband and for the will power to be reliable.
Click to Listen:
Podcast: Play in new window
| Download
From Chaos to Calm: 15 Weeks to a Happy Home is a daily devotion – Monday through Friday for 15 Weeks by Melissa Ringstaff. The Audio Podcast gives you extra ideas to go along with the email series or e-book.
Here are some images you can pin to Pinterest or use on your own blog: (Of course, you are welcome to use the image above as well!!)
How do you keep your husband’s trust?
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