That Was Then, This Is Now

This time, 5 years ago, we'd just welcomed home our precious Sarah Beth and she was celebrating her first Christmas as an American! We had no idea just how much she would change our lives. Sarah loves completely, she feels deeply, forgives quickly, and she cares about others and their needs in a way that blesses everyone around her. She has changed each of us in this family and we are so blessed that God created her to bring glory to Him on this Earth as a McGuire.

In Guatemala to bring Sarah Beth home!  December 2007

The girls and I - Spring 2008

 

Sarah's first day with glasses!!!

 

Last week we learned that Sarah needed glasses, really bad, and I really didn't have many clues to point to her having a great difficulty seeing.  She is  very proud of her new glasses.  They are pink and purple, we wore pink today in honor of the occasion of picking them up! :)

From the time we picked them up, she never took them off until it was time to go to bed!

 

Abiding in His grace,

Lori

Yearly Beach Trip Photos - Relocated

As I have looked over my blog the last few days and reaccessed, I decided I needed to move some of my photos and update some things because it's been so long since I've been here and there's a little "housekeeping" that needs to be done.

This post will include some of those older photos, to relocate them and get them out of the sidebar.

Enjoy these "oldie but goodies" things really have changed.  We've all changed. Some of us a little, some of us a LOT!

Enjoying this gift of a family, while Abiding in His grace,
Lori

These photos are from our 20th trip to the beaches of

Panama City Beach, Florida!

Anna at Sundown

 

My Bunch at Sunset

I am absent from the "beach" pictures this year since I could not walk in the sand.

 

Sarah on the Sand

 

Giann with Sarah

Todd took this one.

 

The View From Our Balcony

 

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These older photos are from our previous year's visit to the same place... Panama City Beach, FL.

Todd and I poolside. This is our 19th trip to the beach now.

We're getting old....

 

My girls and I enjoying a little shade.

 

My Big Girl!

Anna is 12 now and growing so fast!! 

(Wow, look up at the top of this post! What a difference a year makes, huh?)

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Cooling Off at the Beach

This is how you do it when you don't like the ocean!

(Sarah's 1st trip to the beach. Age 2)

Links to Older Blog Posts Regarding Money, Spending, and Stewardship

I now have the ability to post updates to the blog on Facebook, so some of you who are here may be new to my blog, .  If so, I hope that some of you have found your way here...from there.

The following is a list of older articles in a series that I wrote during 2010, about how we use our money and about stewardship in general.

If this is a topic that is new to you, I hope that you will find this to be useful information.  If this topic is one that is important to you, I hope that you will find something that encourages you to continue to be a faithful steward of what you have been given, in whatever way God leads you to save for YOUR family.  Whatever the case, I hope that these articles cause you to think about your money, and whether or not you are honoring God, who is the one who has provided you with it, with your use of it.  The articles are all listed here according to the articles original title.  Just click on the title and it should link you directly to each article.

Shopping In Thrift and Consignment Stores posted January 9, 2010

10 Reasons Why You Should Tithe posted January 11, 2010

Crown Financial Ministries Money Forms and Helps posted January 12, 2010

Some of My Favorite Millionaire Quotes posted January 14, 2010
More...Millionaire Mindset also posted on January 14, 2010

Disciplined Finances posted January 18, 2010

Never Asked to Borrow a Penny Since (teach your children about borrowing $) posted January 21, 2010

Couponing, Is It Really Worth It? posted January 25, 2010

Coupon Shopping Trip Update...  posted January 26, 2010

Coupon Trip #2  posted February 2, 2010

My Current Read(s) posted February 4, 2010

I pray that these old posts will have something in that is helpful, useful, thought provoking for you.  If so, please post a comment.  I always want to hear your thoughts.

Abiding in His abundant provision,
Lori

Hopeless Wanderer Designs

Hi Everyone:

Anna has finally gotten some of her necklace designs done, and they are beautiful!!

If you are looking for a last minute gift for someone, or want something special for yourself, this is a great option and her turn around time is really quick.

They are priced between $15 and $20, determined by whether it's one that she's made and has on hand, or if it is something customized just for you. They can be custom made using your favorite quote, a special saying, lyrics from a song you love, a favorite Bible verse, or your inititals for a monogram.  The chains are a ball and chain style, so she's even had an order for one that they cut the chain down to turn it into a key chain.

We will upload some pictures soon.  So keep an eye out.  In the meantime, you can visit her blog here and if you haven't already, PLEASE go like the Facebook page here.  She needs at least 5 more likes to secure her Facebook url.

Abiding in His grace,
Lori

Thoughts From the Bible and Various Quotes About Money

These items were posted back in 2010, when I was working through a series of posts about money: what we do with it, how we should use it, and how we honor or dishonor God and others through our use of it.

1/27/2010
Proverbs 10:3-4
"The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked.
He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."
1/26/2010
"A penny saved, is a penny earned."
~Benjamin Franklin

1/21/2010
"If you make money your god, it will plague you like the devil." ~Henry Fielding
1/18/2010
The real measure of your wealth is how much
you'd be worth if you lost all your money.
~Author Unknown

1/14/2010
Psalm 24:1 (NLT)
"The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him."

1/13/2010The amount needed to provide basic education, sanitation and drinking water for the entire world is the amount Americans spend every year on ice cream. Source Account417.com

1/1/10
Acccording to Wiki-Answers only 8.5 percent of the earth's entire population own cars. Wow! In our mindset/society we can't image being without two!!!!