Embracing Him

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)

The other day I was standing in a long checkout line at Wal-Mart. Since the cashier was engaged in price check issues with the manager and current customer and I didn’t have the girls with me to occupy my time, I was left with about 15 minutes of down time. Normally, I would spend that 15 minutes reorganizing the contents of my Coupon Wallet, but I had just done so the day before in the waiting room of the doctor’s office.

The price check issues a few feet in front of me showed no immediate signs of resolution and the other checkout lines were just as long, so I decided to grab a magazine from the display. People, Us, Oprah, National Enquirer, and TV Guide are not my type of magazines, so I continued to scan titles in search of a better option. The bright, seasonal cover of September’s All You magazine caught my eye, but the byline, Hundreds of Ways to Save Time and Money, is what truly reeled me in.

I removed the magazine from the display and studied the bullets on the cover: 10 Smart gadgets that make chores easier (I’m all for that!), Serve healthy 30 minute dinners (Right up my alley!), Find comfy jeans that flatter you (Do tell!), and Packed with Value: Coupons and Great Deals (Hallelujah! Show me!).

When I opened the magazine and flipped through it quickly, I instantly became a fan of All You. Interspersed throughout the magazine’s pages, were lots of valuable coupons for products families like mine actually use (Tyson chicken nuggets, Kellogg’s cereal, Halls cough drops, Colgate toothpaste, Palmolive dish detergent, and Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables, just to name a few). The coupon savings alone more than paid for the magazine, which cost a mere $1.97.

Since I’ve had time to read the magazine, I’m hooked and have ordered a subscription, (which shaved approximately $3 off the magazine stand price). I found the articles, tips, recipes, and to be extremely helpful. If you want to be frugal fashionista, a sensible chef, and an economical organizer, I highly recommend All You magazine. Wal-Mart is the only store that carries it, but you can also get an annual subscription here.

All in all, All You is a great find for a practical, bargain hunting, coupon loving women like me! Perhaps you’ll enjoy it too.

Photo: Courtesy of finestationery (Flickr)

And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. (Isaiah 54:13)

Since we receive quite a few Christian and homeschool publications in the mail, we’re always getting junk mail offering us a wide range of Christian and Bible based products and services. Though it would probably save me time to simply toss all the junk mail in the trash, I feel compelled to sort through it all just in case there’s something worthwhile hidden amid all the advertisements.

A few weeks ago and much to my surprise, I found a gem hidden in the junk mail! It was an offer for a subscription to Happy Times, a magazine featuring songs, stories, coloring pages, and projects for children ages 3 to 5. Concordia Publishing House is the publisher of the magazine and is a Christian company offering a wide variety of resources including, but not limited to, e-newsletters, books, magazines, and podcasts.

Since Sweet Pea loves to receive mail AND the magazine was age appropriate and Christian based, AND the subscription fee so reasonable ($9.96 for the year), we signed up for a year long subscription. We couldn’t resist!

The May issue came late last week and I ABSOLUTELY love it! The issue is all about our bodies and how God blesses us with doctors, nurses, and family members who take care of us when we are sick. I’m also thrilled because the issue’s theme matches the theme of the current lapbook Sweet Pea is creating, God Made My Body.

Happy Times has proven to be a true gem! Sweet Pea is excited about the magazine and I’m excited about gaining another tool our family can use to teach the girls about God!