Nothing new for New Year's

I've been trying to figure out how to explain the challenge to myself this New Year.  For weeks I have thought about what I could do for a New Year's resolution; I just love challenging myself and seeing what I learn about myself or the world around me, whether it's a New Year's resolution, a Lenten fast, or just something different for 30 days (ie. no new clothes for our family, eating only food grown within 100 miles, saying yes to every request for money, no television, no refined sugars).  Usually my challenges involve money or food, not surprising since those are two items that I use daily.  How one chooses to eat and use his/her money says a lot about a person.  Knowing that, I like taking the time to ask myself, "If the way I use my money is a reflection of the things I cherish and desire most, what does my budget say about me?  If someone that didn't know me took a look at my monthly bank statement, what assumptions would they make about me and my values?"  The same could be said about my food consumption, "What assumptions could someone make about me by looking in my shopping cart, or my pantry? Do I know where my food comes from and how it is grown? And if I do know, is that affecting my shopping habits?"

All this to say, I think a lot about the daily decisions I make.  Granted, I have a lot of room to grow, and I hope that grace will cover the areas in which I am lacking.  But I don't want to say that I haven't tried.

Soooo...once again I have a challenge for myself, and if you feel so inclined, join me if you'd like!  I am a sucker for a good deal.  Call it my Mennonite heritage.  Call it my genes inherited from my penny-pinching dad, who likes to joke, "If you buy an $80 sweater for $30, you haven't saved 50 bucks...you've still spent 30!"  And so, nothing new that I don't need is my motto for the coming year.

There are so many little things that I purchase that I don't even think twice about.  This Christmas season I was reminded of how many people around me have so much less, and could benefit from me sharing what I have.  However, as generous as I think I am, or that others may benefit from something I do, it pales in comparison to the generosity of my God!  I need help from His Spirit to become more generous, more like Him!  So I am praying that his Spirit will remind me as I walk through the aisles of Target, the grocery store, REI, or (*gasp*) Sur LaTable, that I will only purchase what I need.  If there is something that I really like, something that I would TOTALLY buy any other year, I am going to remember that, and keep track here on this post over the coming months.  At the end of the year it will be interesting to see how much money I saved by stopping myself from buying things I didn't really need.  That "saved" money will be donated to The Abundant Life Home in Thailand, click on the link to read about their ministry!

Christmas tablecloth on clearance at Target, $5.38

New sippie cups for Isaiah, $3.99 (kept myself from buying them and within a few hours of getting home I found 2 that had been missing for weeks)

Super-cute shirt on clearance at REI, $21.83

Bottle of wine to take on vacation to the beach, $9.99

Cute Valentine's socks for the girls, $2

Silly monster socks for Isaiah, $1

Brownie mix on sale, $1.99

Paperback copy of Anna Karenina $15.99 (hoping I can get through it in 6 weeks 'cause I'm gonna get it from the library)

2 donuts (1 for me, 1 for Isaiah) and coffee on the way home from a great morning walk, $5

Pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, $3.98

Bottle of pinot noir, wine of the month at Trader Joe's, $9.99

Pie at Marie Callendar's (it's pie month, people), $7.99

Shirt at Nordstrom Rack (didn't even try it on, but I knew if it had fit, I would buy it), $29.97

A car wash, $3.99  Actually drove up to get it done and they were "on lunch"?!  What car wash takes a lunch break? Apparently Red Carpet does.

Fair-trade candy bar...was really craving some chocolate, but I don't need it, $2.29

Paper goods for Isaiah's party (actually purchased them but then used the plastic plates and real silverware I own and did a bit more washing, upon return it was...), $26.36

Yep, more wine, $4.99

Thought about buying a new dress or skirt this weekend with Randy's fundraising gala coming up.
Didn't shop, but I know I would've "forced" myself to find something, I'd guess $40

Although I wore a dress I already had, I felt like none of my shoes "worked" with my dress.  Really wanted to buy some black strappy sandals but didn't.  My black pumps worked great and nobody noticed one way or another, $22.99

2 new summer outfits for Isaiah (wearing the hand-me-downs instead), at least $20

New Keen summer sandals for Isaiah (was given some and immediately thought, "These aren't the color I'd buy for him").  What an consumeristic way for me to think.  Forgive me, Lord!  Hand-me-downs that were only worn once and are the perfect size!  And they'd cost $35 at REI.

Perused the wine section at Whole Foods.  There was a $20 bottle of wine I'd been wanting to try for a while now and it was on sale for $12.99 this week.  But I wasn't even planning on a specific meal that went with it, nor do I need it since I have a few bottles in my pantry if I wanted to open one this weekend, $12.99

Make-up at the Clinique counter, just to get their freebie, even though there was not one thing I needed, at least $25.

Lunch out, just 'cause, when I had plenty of food to eat at home, I just didn't feel like eating any of the food at home, probably $20.

Another bottle of wine (a good one) that normally sells for $13, on sale for $9.  But I have plenty on my shelves, and really only open a bottle for special occasions anyways...so they pile up.  $9

A new bottle of nail polish, when I have a bunch of colors to choose from already at home, $7

A new swim suit, when mine still fits and isn't ripped or torn yet, but the new black and white one looked so cute on the rack, and fit well...but the fact still remains, I didn't need it, $25

Took Violet to get some new shoes (all of a sudden nothing fits her) and browsed through my size as well.  Found some adorable brown leather penny loafers that felt incredible when I put them on!  They'd be a perfect Fall shoe/accompaniment to jeans.  Last time I bought brown shoes was about 4 years ago, but they aren't falling apart yet, $99.

New shirt for our family pictures, when I have plenty of clothing items in my closet that will work, $10

Book, it's yet another book that I'd have to wait a long time in order to check it out at the library, but I can wait, $13

Running total = $494.71

*Disclaimer* I have thought a lot about whether to post this at all, thinking that by sharing this, some might think I am wanting some kind of credit or recognition.  I hope, however, that grace and mercy may abound, and that people will simply be encouraged and challenged by one believer's record of her journey!  To God be the glory...great things HE is doing in me!