Lessons Learned From Not Speeding…

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A few months ago I made the decision to no longer intentionally drive above the speed limit (note: this only applies while driving in town…I know, I know…for some reason, the interstates are a separate thing in my mind which isn’t right, but that’s how it is right now… 🙂 ) because I realized that it is a sin. It’s become quite the “respectable sin” in our society, and I’ve become increasingly aware of it in my own life.

I’m a California girl. Everyone speeds there. I lived in Southern California for seven years prior to moving to Pennsylvania, and there, if you don’t speed you get run over (on the interstates, at least). It became a way of life…but that is all changing now.

Believe it or not, this didn’t start because of a speeding ticket (I’ve only had two in my entire life, and neither of them were recent).

This started because we live on a road where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. And there are great reasons for that speed limit: the road is narrow, it’s a neighborhood, there are children, and there are many hidden driveways all along our road. However, because people often use our road to bypass part of Hersheypark Drive, they are always flying down our road.

Having lived here for six months now, it has come to irritate me greatly. It took me awhile to put words to my irritation, but here’s what it comes down to: disrespect. I felt disrespected by the non-residents flying down my road.

This led me to realize that whenever we speed, we are being disrespectful both to the residents of that area AND to the local law enforcement officials…and to God. So, I decided to stop.

It has been a process, and I’ve learned a few things along the way:

1–I care FAR too much about what strangers think of me… 

It is amazing how much I’ve been tempted to speed because someone gets really close to my tail and I get anxious–not because of safety, but because I don’t want them to (1) think I’m a bad driver or (2) get angry and call me names that I can’t hear anyway. It sounds ridiculous written out, but it’s true! Why on earth do I/we care so much about strangers being upset with us because we are obeying the law? (Working on this…)

2–It is AMAZING how many people speed…

I can honestly say that I’ve felt very isolated in my quest to obey the law. Related to number one, it is amazing how many times I’ve been passed in recent months…and it has been humbling. And it has surprised me, because the local police here in Harrisburg/Hershey are ALWAYS looking to catch speeders. Always. I think they’re bored 😉  But seriously, I didn’t realize before just how many people choose to disobey the speed limits continually.

3–Speeding doesn’t really save that much time…

That’s an argument I hear quite a bit from those who choose to speed–that it saves them time. From my observations lately, unless you’re doing 100 mph, you will likely not save more than a couple of minutes. Yesterday I was passed by someone on a two lane highway who was in SUCH a hurry…we got to our destination at the exact same time due to lights and other cars ahead of him doing the speed limit. 🙂 And yes, that made me happy inside. Working on that, too.

I’m sure there will be more lessons learned as I continue my quest to not speed…but this is what I’ve learned thus far.

Sacrificing the Good for the Great…

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When I read the book “Radical Together” by David Platt, among the MANY awesome quotes that I wrote down, there was one quote that really resonated with me:

“We must be willing to sacrifice good things in the church in order to experience the great things of God.” (page 9)

What a profound statement that encapsulates so many of the issues I see in the Church in America today…we are so focused on programs and entertainment rather than being missional and building the Church like Jesus did, and it is detrimental in so many ways. Simple is the way to go. We have to be willing to let go of “good things” to make room for what God wants to do.

I also think we can rephrase this slightly to apply more broadly to our lives:
 
“We must be willing to sacrifice good things in life in order to experience the great things of God.”

“Sacrificing the good for the great” is a phrase you will hear in our home quite often these days, because it has really challenged how we approach life and it’s helping us to learn to say “no” much more. It has helped us to look at our lives with a long-term perspective rather than focusing on the “instant gratification” that is so pervasive in our society.

What does this currently look like in our daily lives?

  • Sacrificing (insert item/activity here) for the “great” of being debt free in a year. Financial freedom will allow us to more freely serve God wherever He leads, so we’re running with “gazelle intensity” toward that goal.
  • Sacrificing that piece of cake/junk food for the “great” of losing weight and being healthy.
  • Sacrificing (insert activity here) for the “great” of having a strong and healthy marriage due to time invested in each other.
  • “Sacrificing” every other weekend to be relief houseparents at the Milton Hershey School for the “great” of investing in the lives of these precious children.

Taking the time to evaluate where we are spending our time and money has really changed our perspective…and I’m really excited to see what God does as we continue to seek to serve Him more fully with our resources.

Finish Year Update: Mid-February

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Biggest update is that we have an emergency fund! This means that we’re officially on “Baby Step 2” (because we skipped #1 initially…sorry, Dave Ramsey!). I’ll post another update at the end of the month–I was just excited to have finished a goal!

Brennan and Lesa:
 
* Finish one book a month (minimum)

Brennan: Reading “1941”

Lesa: Finished “Bad Girls of the Bible“, “The Great Divorce“, and “Untamed” so far…

* Finish funding emergency fund ($1,000)
—Open new savings account specifically for the emergency fund

* Finish paying off credit cards by December 2012

We made larger than normal payments on our two remaining credit cards.

* Finish using all Groupons/gift certificates
—make a list and schedule on calendar as “date nights”

 * Finish protecting important documents by purchasing a “fire safe”

We have started to research safes, and we are saving up to purchase one.

 

Lesa:
 
* Finish losing 30 pounds and keep it off permanently

* Finish organizing clothes in bedroom (i.e. figure out solution with tiny closet) and keep them organized
Traveling so much lately has made keeping things organized a challenge, but we’re going to be home consistently for at least a while now…

* Finish YouVersion Bible reading plan

* Send 60 thank you notes this year (5 per month); finish sending wedding thank you notes (30 left…terrible, I know!)

I sent 7 during the month of January…1 in February so far…

* Finish purchasing “secret sister” gifts so that I am always prepared

I began making a plan for each month, including a budget, but have not purchased any gifts yet.

* Finish organizing attic and put everything in plastic containers for protection from mice/temperatures

This one might have to wait until Spring, because it’s REALLY cold in our attic…

Finish Year Update: January

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We made good progress on our goals for the year during the month of January, despite traveling to California for a week and spending two weekends in training at the Milton Hershey School!

Brennan and Lesa:
 
* Finish one book a month (minimum) √

Brennan: Finished “Alcatraz”

Lesa: Finished “Radical Together“, “I Am Second“, and “Then Sings My Soul: Book 3”

* Finish funding emergency fund ($1,000)
—Open new savings account specifically for the emergency fund

We added another savings account to our bank account, and we made a large deposit this week.

* Finish paying off credit cards by December 2012

We made larger than normal payments on our two remaining credit cards.

* Finish using all Groupons/gift certificates
—print them all out (chose to make a list instead of printing) and schedule on calendar as “date nights”

We have so many gift certificates/Groupons that we won’t need to pay for a date night this year, most  likely!

 * Finish protecting important documents by purchasing a “fire safe”

We have started to research safes, and we are saving up to purchase one.

 

Lesa:
 
* Finish losing 30 pounds and keep it off permanently

Only lost 2 lbs this month, which I blame on traveling to California 🙂

* Finish organizing clothes in bedroom (i.e. figure out solution with tiny closet) and keep them organized
I finished this one early, thanks to a budget early in January that allowed for a little extra spending. We purchased a few simple items that have greatly increased our closet’s storage capacity! I’m sure there’s more to be done, but this works for now. Now to KEEP things organized…

* Finish YouVersion Bible reading plan

I read a few days, but not every day…MUST get better about this. I’m on day 49 of 365.

* Send 60 thank you notes this year (5 per month); finish sending wedding thank you notes (30 left…terrible, I know!)

I sent 7 during the month of January…still need to do wedding ones!

* Finish purchasing “secret sister” gifts so that I am always prepared

I began making a plan for each month, including a budget, but have not purchased any gifts yet.

* Finish organizing attic and put everything in plastic containers for protection from mice/temperatures

This one might have to wait until Spring, because it’s REALLY cold in our attic…

“Finish Year” Goals…

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In January 2011, I spent some time pondering what I wanted to accomplish during the coming year. I set a few goals that I successfully accomplished–being intentional about frugality, specific friendships, and a few other things. Intentional was the key word for 2011. And I believe that we succeeded.

Brennan and I were intentional about simplifying our lives in order to be less busy and more effective/efficient. We were fairly successful and found a great joy in living simply. The word “no” is an amazing thing! 🙂

So, for 2012, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to focus on at first…until Jon Acuff, a great author and speaker, issued a challenge to his readers called “Finish Year”. Essentially, he discovered that while he is great at starting things, he never finishes anything, and he challenged us to make a list of things that we want to finish this year. This really resonated with me, and I began thinking/praying through what I want to finish this year. Brennan and I have also set joint-goals of things that we want to finish together.

I am going to try to blog at least once a month with my/our progress for accountability purposes, and in hopes that this will encourage someone else to finish something.

So, here are the things that we are going to finish this year:

Brennan and Lesa:
 
* Finish one book a month minimum
* Finish emergency fund ($1,000)
      –Open new savings account specifically for the emergency fund
* Finish paying off credit cards by December 2012
* Finish using all Groupons/gift certificates
      –print them all out and schedule on calendar as “date nights”
 * Finish protecting important documents by purchasing a “fire safe”

Lesa:
 
* Finish losing 30 pounds and keep it off permanently
* Finish organizing clothes in bedroom (i.e. figure out solution with tiny closet) and keep them organized
* Finish YouVersion Bible reading plan
* Send 60 thank you notes this year (5 per month); finish sending wedding thank you notes (30 left…terrible, I know!)
* Finish purchasing “secret sister” gifts so that I am always prepared (this is a year-long church ministry)
* Finish organizing attic and put everything in plastic containers for protection from mice/temperatures

If I successfully accomplish these goals, I will add more throughout the year…but this is a good place to start. I have many more ideas that I can add!

2012 will be another year of living intentionally. We are going to be forced to become more disciplined in many areas of our lives once we are on a regular Milton Hershey School house-parenting schedule (every other weekend) due to the time commitment that ministry will involve, and I am looking forward to the challenge that will bring. Already, I know that this will mean less mystery shopping and (hopefully) a different work schedule to allow me time to take care of our home and various errands during the week more efficiently.

This year will be another year of continuing to live frugally, as our goal is to have no credit card debt by the end of this year. The task is daunting and will require great discipline, but the freedom that will come from being debt-free makes it all worthwhile! God has abundantly blessed us and continues to provide for all of our needs, and we can’t wait for the freedom to give even more to provide for the needs of others! Gazelle intensity!

I recently read that we can live with the pain of discipline or we can live with the pain of regret, and I’d much rather have the former. With discipline comes peace and joy, and that’s what my heart desires! As the Bible says, discipline isn’t always fun, but in the end it is fruitful.

Most importantly, we want to remain intentional about keeping God at the center of our marriage and our lives, because without Him, we will fail miserably on our own. He alone needs to be our focus and our purpose!

Let “Finish Year” begin! 🙂

Winter…

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I used to blog all the time. Lately, I write posts in my head all the time but they never end up on the blog.

I was thinking today about one that I wrote in January 2010 regarding Winter, and I thought it was worth re-posting a portion of it:

My most recent pondering has been about Winter. As this is only my second “true” Winter (since I lived in California for 25 years), I am still adjusting to months of frigid temperatures, white powder covering the ground, and salt on the roads. Winter is bleak, yet beautiful. More than anything, Winter has taught me to fully appreciate Spring, Summer, and Fall. Someone recently described Winter as a time when God allows His creation to rest…a time for the ground to cease growth, and even a time for humans to spend time inside resting, enjoying the warmth and the time not spent tending gardens, mowing lawns, etc. Winter makes us more passionate about the other three seasons, and gives us greater joy at their arrival. I still marvel at all four seasons, recognizing that God didn’t have to create four–He could have kept things constant and thereby boring, and we would have never known the difference. This is yet another way God shows us that we are loved. :)

I post this mostly as an encouragement to myself, because I am not enjoying winter this year. It was 11 degrees when I left for work this morning. Bitter cold. I long for warmth…

It’s amazing how quickly my sentiments toward winter have changed. This is shown through the amount of pictures I have taken each winter since 2008 (slowly decreasing), as well as the amount of times I have blogged about it. 🙂

In January 2009, I posted this about my experiments with freezing liquids: http://lesaclose.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/the-results-of-my-experiments/

In December 2008, I was thrilled with new weather terminology: http://lesaclose.wordpress.com/2008/12/19/lesas-list-of-winter-weather-terms/

Now I am taking Vitamin D3 and hoping that it’s a mild, warm winter.

All in all, I still know that I am called to be here, and that God never gives us more than we can handle. 🙂 Yet, I still don’t feel like embracing this frigid season…thankfully it’s only three months out of the year!

Updated: So, you want to try mystery shopping?

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(updated on 11/16/2012)

I completed my 422nd mystery shop yesterday (since March 2011), and since I’m always getting questions about this field, I thought I’d update this blog post and repost it. 🙂

First of all, it is a real thing. The most common question I’ve been asked is, “That’s real? I thought it was fake!” It is real. There are tons of scams out there, of course, but there are hundreds of legitimate companies.

You should NEVER pay to join a company! That indicates a scam. Any company asking you to wire money is also a scam.

How do you know if the company is legitimate? Go to the MSPA’s website and find out. MSPA is the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. They represent all of the real companies and list them on their site for your convenience.

They also offer certification levels which help you, the mystery shopper, receive better jobs and often higher paying jobs, because the certification shows that you are serious. I have the MSPA Silver Certification and am thinking about achieving Gold status simply because I’ve seen the benefits of silver, so I know that gold must be great!

Secondly, don’t expect to get rich, but DO expect to eat lots of free meals (after reimbursement) and experience new things! We’ve made about $6,800 so far (not including reimbursements), and it has been a tremendous blessing. These shops often turn into date nights because Brennan is my “partner in crime” whenever he is allowed to go with me (some shops stipulate that you must go alone).

Now that I’ve done over 400, I know which shops I like and which ones I will only do if they offer me bonus pay or beg me. I know which mystery shopping companies I prefer (out of the 50+ with whom I am registered), and I know which ones are a pain to work for (there are a few). I have done shops in retail, fast food, fast casual food, hospitality, auto sales and service, etc. And each one has taught me very different skills. I’ve test driven a Mercedes, shopped for TVs, and eaten a lot of great food. 🙂

Favorite shop so far? Getting to see U2 for FREE. It was also the hardest shop that we’ve done so far, but totally worth it! We’ve also done hotels (where we get to stay for free), football games (next week, actually…college football on Black Friday!), movie theatres, etc.

I have also learned what various retail establishments require of their employees when it comes to customer service, and I have much higher expectations now for how I am treated and how I am helped.

It is very helpful to sign up with multiple companies simply because each one has very different clients, and depending on where you live, it may be helpful in getting shops to do. In Central PA, there aren’t as many opportunities as Southern California, for example. Most companies send out emails when there are shops available in your area, so you don’t have to check daily for opportunities. I am signed up with 50+ companies, but only actively shop for about 10. I just like having more options available to me.

Here are a few companies I would recommend starting with (in no particular order):

Corporate Research International: http://www.mysteryshops.com 

CRI has you watch a video presentation on how to do effective mystery shopping that is actually entertaining and incredibly helpful. I just signed up with them this week and had to watch it, and it even helped me–an “experienced” shopper! Honestly, this company annoys me with their process, but their training is good and they have a great variety. Their commissions start REALLY low, so wait until they are raised before doing the shops.

Market Force: http://www.applymarketforce.com 

Intelli-Shop: http://www.intelli-shop.com

BARE International (if you want to sign up with them, send me your email address and I’ll refer you. They offer bonuses for referrals!)

Reality Based Reports: http://www.realitybasedreports.com/index.norm.php 

Ritter Associates: http://www.ritterassociates.com

Bestmark: http://www.bestmark.com

Second-to-None: http://www.second-to-none.com

As you get more involved, you’ll learn which companies service which retailers/restaurants, etc. I can’t tell you which ones they do (confidentiality), but you can figure it out!

If you have any questions, please let me know. It is a lot of fun, it sharpens your memory and observation skills, and you’ll earn a little extra cash. 🙂

IMPORTANT NOTE: You will have to pay taxes on earnings over $600, so I advise that you keep a detailed spreadsheet (ask to see mine if you are serious about this) detailing where you shopped, when, your expenses (reimbursed and non-reimbursed), mileage, which mystery shopping company, the date you were paid. This also helps me remember when to do shops and to make sure that I get paid for each one of them. And, it will help at tax time. So far this year, because of mileage (which is $0.555 cents per mile credit per the IRS as of 07/01/11), I’ve profited $200 according to the IRS. 🙂

Penne Pasta with Spring Vegetables

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Cooking used to frustrate me somewhat…and it took me quite a while to figure out why.

Though I am organized (i.e. almost a control freak) in essentially every other aspect of my life, I would leave dinner plans to the last-minute, always leaving me frustrated because I would feel pressure to put something together quickly. It didn’t really occur to me until the past month or so that if I plan ahead, the stress would go away!  I know, I know…this was a “duh” moment for me.

I decided to start grocery shopping every two weeks (with the exception, of course, of small trips if something was forgotten) and making a meal list for that time period. The list isn’t rigid–meaning that I don’t have a specific recipe for a specific day (which would drive me crazy)…but it gives me enough guidance that I can come home, look at a short list (rather than a large cookbook) and make my decision. It has helped tremendously!

I feel like a much better wife when I am prepared, because Brennan can come home from work and have dinner ready for him after a long day of work. Not that he has EVER complained or said a word–I just have goals/expectations for myself that I don’t always meet. 🙂 I am so blessed to have a husband who has never once disliked anything that I have made, and who is always appreciative of my efforts!

I’ve also started a small binder where I type out/cut out recipes that I actually use, which helps when it comes to meal planning because I own 15-20 cookbooks…and that is slightly overwhelming. But, I definitely don’t use all of those recipes, so I’ve started collecting the ones that I do use. I have a section specifically for “crock pot” recipes, which is EXTREMELY helpful to have with our crazy schedules!

Anyway…tonight I made a recipe that we had picked up at our company’s “Wellness Fair” recently, and it was not only good, it was very healthy and nutritious! So I decided that I should share…

I did not create this recipe, but I’m not sure who should get the credit.

Penne Pasta with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups yellow squash

3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp salt (optional)

1 box (16 oz) penne pasta

6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thick strips

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and squash; cook 3 minutes or until tomatoes are softened.

Add chicken broth; reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking 5 minutes. Season with salt/pepper.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add pasta and basil to vegetable mixture; toss to combine. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

I’ve been told that I need to blog more…

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…so here goes. 🙂

I used to be so good about blogging and journaling. I’m not sure what has changed, or why I’ve found it so easy to just not write at all. However, I realize that it is an important exercise and I need to be writing things down so that I don’t forget what has happened.

Life has been GREAT. Not challenge-free, of course, but truly great. We can’t complain.

Most recently…we got nearly 10 inches of snow this past weekend. The last time that our region had an October snow was in 1972, and they received 2 inches. So, to say that this was record-breaking is an understatement. I’m having a hard time thinking about winter coming, so I’m not going to take the next few weeks of 50-60 degree weather for granted! Here in Hershey we are definitely ready for “normal” weather for our area…not 70+ inches of rain in a year!

Brennan and I are LOVING living in Hershey. We are SO close to work, we have great neighbors, we love our new place, and it’s been an absolute blessing to live here already. It’s amazing how God brings us exactly what we need!

We are five days away from celebrating our first anniversary…and I am amazed at how this year has flown! A year ago, I was in Red Bluff, crazy busy, just ready to be married and have the wedding planning/executing over and done. Now, we are happily married, enjoying every day, and are SO thankful to be done with wedding craziness! 🙂 We’re celebrating our anniversary on Friday/Saturday by staying at a very nice place, and we will eat our (currently frozen) cake and sip our apple cider (from the wedding) on Sunday. It’s going to be a restful, wonderful weekend, celebrating the blessings of our loving Lord who brought us together!

We are praying through several decisions right now in terms of ministry opportunities, and it’s really exciting to see what God is bringing our way.

We’re being very intentional about slowing down our schedule and spending more time at home, which has been very good for me. I’ve literally started writing down “stay at home” days on my calendar because I have a tendency to fill up every spare minute with some activity…and I’m worn out. It’s incredibly difficult, but I’m getting better at just relaxing at home every once in a while!

Speaking of resting, I finally sought out medical assistance for my knee which was injured on November 20, 2008 in a car accident. I have an MRI on Thursday morning to determine the next course of action, which may be surgery if it is indeed a tear. God is in control, and we are trusting Him with logistics (living/working on the second floor, for instance)and finances!

God is at work all around us, all the time, and I’m loving watching Him work. When I moved to Harrisburg in 2008, I never expected to find such diversity here in terms of people and countries represented. But, I am constantly finding out about other cultures who are making their home here–such as Haitian refugees, Burmese refugees, etc. And I love it! God is bringing people from all over the U.S. to Harrisburg to plant churches and to reach out missionally to these people, and I am excited for us to be part of this!

Brennan and I are heading to California in January to celebrate Christmas…two weeks late. Why? Because we are saving $800 in air fare! It is incredibly expensive to fly anywhere at Christmas-time, but especially to California since it’s such a tourist destination. So, we decided to think outside the box and found tickets for $400 total roundtrip for BOTH of us! God is so good! I can’t wait to see my family!

It’s been a great first year of marriage, and I can’t wait for each one to follow.

Sign your name, save a life…

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In May 2010, I traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on a mission trip. It was only for a week, but that week was enough to impact me forever, and I long to return to that special land.

I learned yesterday that one of the orphanages with which we worked, the Son of God Orphanage, has been trafficking its children and abusing them. And my heart is truly broken. We delivered dozens of mattresses to this place so that these precious children wouldn’t have to sleep on concrete anymore. We spent time with them, loving on them, praying for them. And now to find out that their leadership is so corrupt and evil…it’s too much to bear.

You can make a difference simply by signing your name to a petition! This petition will be sent to CNN when we reach 10,000 signatures so that they can help expose the corruption, since the government of Haiti is protecting the orphanage leaders.

It will take less than a minute of your day, but it will make a HUGE difference in the lives of these orphans. PLEASE sign your name!

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-freedom-project-expose-human-trafficking-at-son-of-god-orphanage-in-haiti?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=friends_wall