Budget

Aug 07 2019

New Bag!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

 

 

New Bag!

I remember how intimated I was stepping into the business world. I would always wear a business suit and three-inch heels, hoping to make a good impression. It was important to me to look pulled together so the people I dealt with would assume I knew what I was doing.

This was a little horrifying to me because I always carried a purse about the size of Texas. As she proceeded with her talk, I learned women who carried small purses are perceived as decisive, powerful, organized, and goal orientated. All the things I wanted to be and felt I was not.

In that conference I learned big purse people were thought of as fun, artistic, easy-going and their purses were usually mess. (I knew that my purse carried papers, wrappers, candy, Swiss army knife and a telephone at the bottom I could never find. In fact, once something went into that purse, it could be lost forever. I thought my purse was my secret, I wonder if she had peeked.

At that moment I decided to become a small purse woman, so people would think I had all the attributes of a responsible businesswoman.
I laugh when I think back to those days when I put so much emphasis on a purse. Even funnier, I bought that small purse.

When I couldn’t get everything into it, I ended up carrying two Safeway bags around with the rest of my stuff. I had my small purse(which looked good) and to everyone else, it looked like I had just been shopping at Safeway with the other two bags. It worked for me! Reality finally set in and I gave up my Safeway shopping bags, and went back to my wonderful, carry everything at once, big purse.

Although I am quirky, creative, emotional and carry a BIG purse. (Lookout, blonde coming through) I have learned I don’t have to be like everyone else; God has given me the freedom and capacity to embrace the women that he made me to be. What a gift of Grace, I am free to be me. ©

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide,

how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  Ephesians 3:18 NLB

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
 
HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

Apr 02 2019

I’ll Choose You

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 1 Comment

I’ll Choose You

 

Look Out, Here We Come

 

 

I’ll Choose You!

Early one fall morning, I took a day trip to Calgary, Alberta, to get spring and summer fashions for my store. I took my two teenage daughters along for an afternoon of shopping.

Wearing a navy suit to make a good impression at my appointment, I also wore my favorite three-inch heels. It was crucial for me to look pulled together, so the sales representatives didn’t know I was a novice.

My girls dressed for comfort, while I stayed with the suit and heels for our shopping trip. I did not want the trouble of an extra set of clothes. The day was fun but exhausting, and by 5 pm, I wanted to be home. I had a headache, my feet ached, and I was hobbling. I was ready to go home, grab a hot bath and go to bed.

Making one last stop at the drugstore on the way out of the mall, the girls waited for me outside. After paying for my purchases, I hurried out to meet them. As I rushed for the exit, I ran into an extraordinarily clean glass wall with such an impact, people stopped in their tracks to see what all the commotion was.

After my perfect face-plant into the glass, I slid to the floor in an ungraceful heap. My shopping bags were in complete disarray, one three-inch heel fell off, one button flew somewhere unknown and my skirt was slightly higher than I felt comfortable with.

As I tried to collect my wits and composure, I noticed my daughters bent over in hilarity and pretending not to know me. 

Struggling to get up and putting on my biggest smile, I tried to act as if nothing had happened. With head held high, I limped out of the store trying to look as mature as possible, even though my feet were not the only body parts hurting at this time. 

Looking back on that day, I recall the sadness I felt when I realized my daughters had been embarrassed by their mom. And they didn’t choose to claim me as their own.  

I am so glad God chooses us even when we embarrass others and ourselves. He will never run away from us when we hurt or leave our side when we call on him. We are loved and claimed by God.

Dear God,  Recognizing that you will never leave me gives me such perfect comfort and peace as only you can do. I am secure in your love Father, thank you for loving me so much. ©

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.  Hebrews 13:5b (NIV) 

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
 
HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

Sep 14 2018

Money Saving Tips???

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

 

 

 

 

Money Saving Tips???

I have been watching our utility bill go up and down for this last year. In August, a young gentleman came to town advertising for a new utility company. They wanted to merge our gas and electric bills into one instead of two separate bills.

We could save money and lock in a new rate much lower than before if we signed up for them. Lyle and I looked over the contract and felt it looked better than the variable rates we had been experiencing.

However, in the fall and over the winter, we kept seeing the bill increasing, instead of going down as promised. I phoned the utility company to inquire about my bill, and the consultant was polite and understanding. Saying she was sorry, and next month’s bill would be better, she promised. She even gave me a 10.00 credit. LOL

Well, the next month arrived, and it was much worse than the previous month, so I found the contract and realized the company headquarters was in Texas. I started thinking maybe they were charging us in American dollars instead of Canadian. Right now in Canada, our dollar is worth seventy cents to an American dollar.

I called the company again to see if the exchange rate was the problem, they assured it was not. As I visited with the representative, she inquired if I received their company’s brochure on how to get budget saving tips for our home. I hadn’t received the brochure, so she gave me a few tips on how I might conserve energy.

First, she said I need to unplug my refrigerator, stove, and oven every night. She did every night, and it helped her conserve energy.

At that point, I had visions of my husband and myself dragging all our appliances out and unplugging then each night. Then plug them in every morning and pushing them back in place. I don’t know about you but, I had never learned about this tip before, sounds like a high-energy project for sure. She then suggested I put everything on an extension cord so it would be easy.

I told her I had never heard of that money saving tip before. She said she does it every night; it is what we do in the Philippines. What??

At this point I was so relieved that it wasn’t Canada she was talking about, I thanked her tips and said good-bye.©

Don’t worry about tomorrow, God is already there!

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
 
HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

Jul 30 2018

Special Made

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

Special Made

How do You beat the Heat?

I’m not sure my trash bin is big enough.

 

 

Special Made

The heat in Southern Alberta is about 90 today and the flowers and grass are feeling the burn. This last week a dear neighbor shared some of her annual plants with me, making my empty flower containers look beautiful.

As the plants along with the grass were starting to suffer I went out to water and ended up having a fight with the sprinkler after trying to set it. Consequently, my pants are hanging by the door sopping wet and my hair is all frizzed up again after spending 40 minutes straightening it yesterday. Lol

As most of you have guessed, I am not a gardener, but I love flowers and admire people who have great gardening skills. I always try to learn all I can from them and I get some great tips too.

So, with a new porch almost finished last week, I am inspired again to turn something plain into a peaceful and serene space for morning coffee. I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out.

Often I get discouraged about the things I don’t do well. I look at others’ talents and gifts and wish I could be more like them. Forgetting to be thankful for the gifts God has given me. So much time has been spent wishing instead of praising God for the blessings I already have.

I love the verse in: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 

There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 

There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. 

There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person.

God has not left me out, he has allowed me to have a special gift to serve him and tell others of his amazing love and grace. Like each flower or plant, each one of us is different and beautiful. In God’s eyes, we are uniquely special and precious to Him.

No matter what our circumstances are or the road each of us travels, knowing that I have a special place in God’s heart and plan gives me security as I live my life for Him.©

 

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
 
HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

Jul 16 2018

What Are You Waiting For? 

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

 

 Somedays...

 

What Are You Waiting For? 

I have often put my life and dreams on hold using one word,

LATER.  I wonder if others do the same.  See if any of my excuses are ones you can relate too.

  • LATER: when the office is clean, I will have time to write.
  • LATER: when the house is clean, I will invite company for dinner.
  • LATER: when I lose weight, I will buy a swimsuit.
  • LATER: when my children are out of school, I will have more time to study the Bible.
  • LATER: when I catch up on all my TV series, I will have time to visit friends.
  • LATER: when I clean the garage, I will have a place to park the car.
  • LATER: when I get a treadmill, I will start exercising.

 

Recently, I had a realization, or a blonde epiphany, (is that legal?) 

  • I realized the office will never be clean enough.
  • I realized the house will never be perfect enough.
  • I realized no matter how much weight I lose or gain, I will never buy a swimsuit.
  • I realized when my children finish school, marry, and have children of their own we will never have time. We will be too busy attending ball games, recitals, soccer, having sleepovers, taking pictures and having fun.  Grandchildren automatically move to top priority.
  • I realized a TV-series is never done; there is always another new one to watch.
  • I realized landscaping and yard work is a weekly task, the weeds and grass just keep growing.
  • I realized if the garage is cleaned out we will have to rent a large storage unit.  Besides the car looks good outside and everyone knows where we live.
  • I realized I will never start exercising when I get a treadmill, bicycle, or the Wii.  If I haven’t started before now nothing else will help. 

I have wasted a lot of time waiting for the “LATER” to get done so I could move onto the important in life.  The Bible says now is the time to use what we have to serve and honor God.  I don’t want my life to get stuck with the later and never get to the serving of others.  I want to keep moving forward, onward and upward, running the race well. ©

Philippians 2:16 (NLT)

Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

    1 Corinthians 9:16

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?

So run to win!      

 

What are your favorite “LATER” excuses?  I would love to hear from you and get your opinion on these thoughts.

 

Dear Friends, thank you for stopping by and spending your time with me today, I love each of you. 

Hugs to All, Lovingly Karan