So, I have a confession to make. I know many of you think I have it so together, planning, couponing, and shopping. But will you be shocked and appalled to know that I went shopping yesterday, and a huge trip I might add, and used no coupons? (Actually, I found one in my wallet at checkout and pulled it out for $1 off.) Granted it is my Christmas trip, but I more than doubled my usual spending. Gasp! he he
Once again, I have the beginnings of a sinus infection and quite honestly just didn’t care. I had a huge list of items I needed to get for meals this week, and I had waited until the last minute. You know those Prep Day Planners I tell everyone to be using? I should have had that printed out and ready to go weeks ago, you know when I posted about my Holiday Meal Planning Guide? But, sadly, I never got around to it. I did have it printed out, but just barely filled out.
I tell you this to let you in on a little secret. Just because I post about it here on my blog, doesn’t mean I am always doing it perfectly. I hope you know, I can’t possibly do every single thing I suggest or post about here on Faithful Provisions. I don’t clip every coupon, snag every deal, shop every store, or make every recipe from scratch. After all, being a wife, mom, and homeschool teacher takes precedence over being a blogger, author, and speaker. Just like you, I have a family that means so much to me, and I can’t do it all and still make them my priority. So today, as my Christmas confession, in Wizard-of-Oz style, the curtain has been pulled back and you get to see me just as I am.
Whew! I feel much better. It is very hard knowing that others think you do all these things you don’t and then they compare what they are doing to this distorted image. You have to know, you only see what I choose to post for you here. There is so much you don’t see, like laundry piled high, dust bunnies in EVERY corner, pink rings in toilets and even…
unfolded, clean laundry in a basket–yes–for a week. Want proof? Well, here it is!
My job is to encourage you to be who God created you to be, to give you tips and tools to make your life easier. I pray that you don’t see all the ideas here and think that it is possible for me to do it all. I can only do what God in his mercy and grace allows, and some days it isn’t so much.
My goal today: To just get two recipes done for Christmas Brunch, clean up the kitchen, and play with the kids. Seriously, that is it. Oh, and finish this post!
I just want you to know that I love each and everyone of you for reading, commenting, and contributing your thoughts and ideas to Faithful Provisions. You make this such a great place for me to be each day. I want to encourage you to get off the computer and get down in the floor with your kids and family. Get to what is important!
Merry Christmas!
Amen!! I love that you have had to to be folded basket of laundry! That makes me feel a little more normal
Merry Christmas to you too
Oh, this happens more than you will ever know! ahem, weekly.
Very encouraging to see someone who doesn’t always have EVERYTHING in order.; laundry, coupons, dust bunnies, etc. It’s impossible to be superwoman even though people think our capes never come off. I love reading your blogs!!!
As a mom, I think we all feel like we need to have our capes on 24/7, but it is just not possible! Thanks for reading.
I knew you were just like a lot of us. I do not have the schedule you have and I admire you for all you do. I walk away from this computer with so much help from you, you have no idea.
Have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas with your family
Thanks, D’Ann
Thank you Kelly for all that you do to help us daily as well as glorify His kingdom! Merry Christmas!!
Sometimes we expect TOO much of ourselves. I would much rather have a few baskets of unfolded laundry… a hamper full of dirty clothes… than to be TOO busy to spend time with my kids when they need me. This is our first year homeschooling… 3 girls: 8,6 and 4. I lack in so many areas… but spending time with my girls is more important than a perfectly clean, orderly house! LOL. One day I’ll figure it all out, well, maybe!
I think we all want to portray this perfect “mom”, “housewife”, “homeschooler”, “couponer”, “Christian”…. etc… that if we realize we ALL have faults, that NO ONE is perfect… we would feel a little better about ourselves!
Kelly – I second everything you just said! I want to encourage you to give yourself a big break, you have entered what I think is the most difficult year of homeschooling…the first. For me it was such a time of uncertainty, was I doing it right, was I making a poor decision, were my kids learning anything, was I doing what others were….I could go on for days. But, be encouraged that you are doing what God has called you to do and He will equip you to do it the way he has planned for you!
Have a very Merry Christmas and New Year!
Kelly: Gosh, thanks for the gift of giving each of us the ability not to do all the examples you have given us! WOW, what a relief from the pressure. I went to grocery shop yesterday and spent $70.00 and used $80.00 in coupons…..So glad that I have the ability to be able to save when “I feel like it.” I do understand, sometimes we just don’t have it all together to save every penny. I just found a bacon coupon that I didn’t use yesterday, so I am not going to beat myself up, just use it before it expires. Thanks for the site and the words, examples and the positive words of encouragement to know that tomorrow is another day. Merry Christmas to you and your family and I am running to the store today for the last tidbits and let the cooking begin…..
Susan – That is amazing that you saved that much! You should feel so encouraged, that is a great feat in this very busy holiday season. I have to remember not to sweat the small stuff, when actually it is all small stuff compared to the real reason we are here. Have a Merry Christmas!
As my pastor would say “Rule #1, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule #2, It’s all small stuff. Rule # 3, Refer back to rule #1.
Love this!
Isn’t that the truth!!! There’s absolutely no way to do it all or always have it together! Thanks for the honest post! Have a great holiday Week!
Sharon – Yes! You are so right, and sometimes we just need to let go and Let God. I love that phrase, because it is such a great visual for me.
It is soo nice to know I am truly not alone. I love to clip coupons, so why did I have about 2 months worth piled up? I am a wife and mom to 3 that are homeschooled and try to work our businesses like I truly have quiet hours of the day. And yes, laundry is piled up now and instead of finishing, I sit here in my usual spot on the computer LOL!!
God Bless You for tranparency!!
Shawn – The computer grabs me and wastes so much of my time too! I am going to really set goals for 2012 of working smart, just wait for some posts on this, I can’t wait to share. Merry Christmas and Happy New YEar!
Thanks for taking the time to be so real and open with us. Especially this time of year when we all feel so pressured to put out the perfect image for all to see. My pile of unfolded laundry is sitting 3 feet from me right now
You won’t know how appreciated you are by all your readers. I hope that you and your family have a very Merry Christmas.
Thank you for showing us that you are real too! Merry Christmas!
Whew!! Thank goodness…..I am an everyday faithful follower of faithful provisions….sometimes as much as times a day!!! Glad to know this side of you….sure makes me feel like I am not alone with all there is to do for my family!!! Thank you Kelly for all the blessings you have provided me! Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Christy – I am behind way more than you know. I often hesitate to reveal my “true” self, just because I don’t want to be a discouragement. I want this to be a place of encouragement, and where to grab inspiration. But, never to be a place you come to and instantly compare or feel like you can’t live up. Believe me, i have felt and do feel the same way at times when I checkout other blogs. But, I have to remind myself, they are only human, and we only get to see a peek into each of our lives! Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! I really appreciate all the verses, recipes, tips, coupons and deals that you share because although there is no way to take advantage of them all, they help me tremendously. I have more time to get on the floor with my kids (and the dust!!) because you have done so much of the legwork already. God bless you and your family!
Alyssa – Thank you so much for your encouragement, I honestly read each and every comment and it means so much that each of you take the time to leave one for me to read!
Oh thank you for your honesty! You have lifted my guilt this season for not having everything perfect… and i too have not been using my coupons this week. Merry Christmas!
this was great to read Kelly and thank you for sharing the real side, as mentioned I feel better now too. You have become a daily regular for my reading and look forward to keeping up in the new year. Happy Holidays to you and your family.
You are wonderful! Enough said.
This is beautiful!!!
This is REAL life. Thanks for the ever so timely post! I’m sure we ALL love you more now
LOL Merry Christmas.
You are too sweet! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
Love hearing from all of you.
GOD knows just how much we can bear……sometimes, it just gets to be too much for everybody, but that’s when you let GO & let GOD! Life is too short to try & be everything to everybody & still remain sane within your soul. GOD BLESS YOU…..for telling it like it is for you & your family. Enjoy the Holidays!!
Thank You, that is exactly what I needed to hear this week. Merry Christmas.
Wow Kelly your an average super mom after all!! lol I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one that doesn’t keep everything in order, but as a mom we try our best!! Your wonderful Kelly and I love your blogs may God bring you many blessings this year and the new year to come!! Merry Christmas!! God Bless Your Family!! =)
I love this post, Kelly! Thanks for being transparent with your readers! I think most people realize that you don’t do it all, but it does help to hear you say it every now and then. I really love that you spent a lot at the grocery store-so funny to me b/c there are many times that I just do not care either! Most of all I love that you said you have other things that take precedence over being a blogger and speaker. Thanks for your confession! I hope you were able to meet your goals today! Merry Christmas!
Kelly,
Thanks for being real and reminding us what’s important. Thanks for all you do! May God bless you and your family as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
thanks for the encouragement! Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for this it has lifted my spirits immensely knowing that I am not the only one with the Christmas rush of preparing cleaning and tomorrow a full day of wrapping. God bless and a very Merry Christmas and New Year!
Cym – No, you are not! I think many of us unfortunately give the false sense that we have it all together because we are scared of what others will think. But in reality, I think we are all in the same boat! Merry Christmas.
Honey, you are JUST NORMAL….and you are enjoying time you can never get back with your babies….keep it up…the clothes won’t go anywhere but your children will….treasure each and every moment.
Tami – You are so right! I often think, what will my kids remember in 20 years, that the house is clean or that I got down and played with them.
Thank you. That was a breath of fresh air. God richly bless you and yours. Merry Christmas and a bright shiny new year.
I went to the store yesterday and didn’t use many coupons either BUT it was such a great feeling to go through my Christmas company recipes and realize that I didn’t need half of the items because they were already stockpiled in my pantry. I just needed meat, fresh veggies and fruits, etc. – things that you don’t get coupons for very often. My receipt was half what it usually is to feed my family and company during the holidays so THANK YOU for all you do!
Have a Merry and blessed Christmas!
Thanks so much for posting! I needed to ready this as I am up late trying to clean the house (and catch up on laundry), and figure out my Christmas food shopping list way too late and have not clipped coupons from 2 weeks ago. Your post encouraged me because superwoman does not really exist, but I forget that all the time.
Nichole, do what you can do and don’t worry about the rest! Just stay focused on what is important right now, family and most importantly Christ’s birth. I hope you have a blessed one.
This post rocks! Seriously. Thank you for being real!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this post! Thank you for our Xmas gift of making us feel more “normal” LOL You are smart and FUNNY! Enjoy your blog.
Can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see your pile of unfolded laundry – which is my nemesis. I try so hard to keep everything in order and running smoothly but I can’t ever get it all done for any extended period of time. It is wonderful to know that others have the same problem. One of my Bible study teachers posted that we should not be a “Martha” this Christmas, but we should have a “Mary” Christmas – sitting at the feet of Jesus, drinking in His presence and joy this Christmas, not trying to have everything look perfect. Perfection is a moving target. We can become addicted to presenting ourselves as people with no chinks in our armor. The times we show our vulnerability are when people identify with us and become comfortable with us and themselves. God bless you this Christmas. Enjoy and live in the moment!!
Kimberly – Tell me about it! Laundry, need I say more? I am such a Martha, and unfortunately I think many of us are, not that being a Martha is bad, but we need to strive for a balance – a Mary and Martha!
Thank you for everything you do! Merry Christmas!
That was seriously THE most encouraging post I think I may have ever read
Thank you for all your tips-seriously, your blog is my go-to when I DO have time to think before I shop. I am so thankful you take your precious and valuable time to help out all the other families out there who need you and this information.
A lot of blogs, most..I have to quit reading because they leave me feeling so inadequate, they do more harm than good. I cannot keep up…things at my house just don’t always sparkle at the same time I have kind and encouraging words flowing sweetly from my lips. So-the reminder of your “reality” is so brave and awesome of you to share with us!!
Merry Christmas!!
Mandy – I am so glad I help you each day, that is honestly my desire here. Not to be a place to come to to feel inadequate, but a place of encouragement, to give you hope and tools and tips to do more and live life to the fullest!
Great post! This looks and sounds like my house! Being perfect is way over rated. Happy kids, now that is a worthy goal. I think your priorities are exactly where they should be. You are great and I love your blog!
Thanks for posting!! I always try so hard to get everything done and it just doesn’t always seem to go as planned!!
Glad you’re human and not super-Mom! A home that looks lived in is much better than a “sterile”/everything-in-its-place one. Have a happy, merry, blessed Christmas!
Pat – I totally agree, a friend told me that once, and I learned to wear a “lived in house” more of a badge of honor, instead of a clean one!
Thanks for your humility and honesty. Years ago I invited a friend over to my house. She was so encouraged because my house wasn’t “perfect.” I was folding a load of laundry, my kids had toys all over the floor and my dishes weren’t all done, “Gasp!” Up to that point in her life she had never tasted the sweet fruit of hospitality and made a choice that day to be willing to let someone see her not so perfect house. Thanks for being an example of a Titus 2 woman. May you have a great Christmas!
Lacie – I have found the same thing with friends. They don’t come to see my clean house, they come over for fellowship. In fact, I would venture to say they fell more comfortable and at home in a “messy” home than a perfectly clean one!
Thank you so much for posting this! You have made my day and now I don’t feel like a coupon loser for forgetting my coupons!
Merry Christmas!
Love this post. I, too, am a homeschooling mother of four girls and often wonder if I am the only one putting things off to make sure my top priorites (hubby, kids, and school) are taken care of. (I just hung a week’s worth of clean laundry today, too.) Thanks for a look into the real part of your household. Hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas!
Julie – Unfortunately this is me more often than not! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and remember to just shove the laundry in a room no one will see. That is what I do!!
Kelly – thanks for putting God first always and you certainly hit the mark every day with your encouraging words. As moms, I feel we often don’t encourage enough or seek guidance because we put everyone else before ourselves. But, you encourage on a daily basis and have taught me so much about couponing, saving, etc. in ‘such a time as this.’ God knew what I needed and I am so thankful you use your gifts and talents (where I am certainly lacking
to help others be the best for their families. God bless you and your family and have a Merry Christmas!
Gayle – Thank you so much for your kind words. The words I put up here come from the Lord. Some days I am like “Really Lord?”, and he pushes me forward and as he already knew, it is for each of you out there. God bless you this Christmas and thank you for reading!
KUDOS! I just love “real” time. Comparison is the thief of joy and I love that we can come to one another, confess our weaknesses, get encouragement to try again and just be there to love and uplift each other through unfolded and folded laundry! Absolutely think this post is brilliant!
Tamara – Thanks and I hope to be a little more transparent this year for you guys. Let you see the “real” me!
Kelly, thanks for the pics! It made me smile and see that I am not the only one with a to-do list! It seems you are not as behind as I am – seeing my son looking for unmated socks in the pantry! So glad you are doing this, your blog is so very helpful and I can’t imagine shopping without consulting your site first. Happy Holidays.
Tat – Thanks so much for your encouragement. It means a lot to know that my experiences (and fails!) can be an encouragement to others too!
wow, I feel so much better hearing this! My usual budget is $75 a week, and I left Wal Mart spending $150 (and I went to Whole Foods before that and spent $25). I did get a few other things at Wal Mart besides groceries, but it nearly gave me a heart attack. That was Christmas meals and all next week. I like you am a wife, mama, homeschool teacher and work a part time job from home. I was exhausted this week, and couldn’t do the coupon thing. I figured with no coupons, and mostly produce and meat to buy, Wal Mart would be my best bet on prices. Merry Christmas, and feel blessed that there is money in the bank when we need to go over budget once in awhile!
Holly – you are so right. That is why I coupon and save consistently throughout the year, so when weeks like this come up, it isn’t a big deal! Have a Merry Christmas!
Thank you for keeping it real!!! Merry Christmas!!
Thank you for your post about letting your secret out. My confession is the same, my pre-Christmas shopping trip cost me $103 and I used no coupons. I had a twinge of guilt for not being smarter with the money and not using coupons, but, you’re right, the time I saved making one trip (in a heavy snow storm, no less) I got to spend more time in the kitchen with my girls baking and cooking together. I hope that you enjoyed a wonderful, blessed Christmas with your family. Thank you for all that you do to help us moms serve our families and the Lord!
Thank you for being honest and a normal person. I have bought your book about a couple of weeks ago. I can not wait to finish it. So glad that god has shown your calling for God.and he get to help so many people.
Thank you for sharing this with us … I was stressing over a small gathering on Dec 23rd with friends and family when I saw an article about “not stressing and enjoying the holidays” so I finally allowed myself to let go and just go with the flow. We had a few close friends stop by for food and fun and it worked out great. And then we (my sons and I) had a great Christmas weekend – focusing on family. Isn’t that He sacrificed His life for/ Love of His family! Happy New Year to you and your family!!
Agnes – So glad to hear you were able to let it go, because in 20 years your kids won’t remember the house not being clean. I try to tell myself that everyday!