How Frugal Are You Lately?

Jesus set a great example for frugality. Even though He had performed a miracle and fed a crowd of 5,000 men and an undisclosed number of women and children with only five loaves and two small fishes, He instructed His disciples to gather up the leftovers. When it was all said and done, they had gathered 12 basketfuls. Now, Jesus, you may wonder, was that necessary? You could have thrown that extra bread away. All you had to do was perform another miracle and make more bread when You needed it. Through His actions, Jesus was showing the importance of not squandering what God has provided-even when it appears that you do not need the excess.

I talked to a couple recently who had lived a rather lavish lifestyle, but through a series of misfortunes lost everything. They are starting to rebuild their lives and are working at jobs that pay much less than they were used to making. I queried them about the role they had played in their financial decline, and they confessed that they were partly responsible. I concluded from a casual observation of their current behavior that a lot of their old wasteful habits were still alive and well. They called it "generosity" when they gave a 95 percent tip to the restaurant's parking attendant. By no means am I opposed to such bigheartedness, but when you are trying to stabilize your finances, you need to understand that frugality is a significant part of spirituality and God is not pleased when we engage in extravagance.

In one of His parables, Jesus talked about a son who convinced his father to give him his inheritance before the appointed time. "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living"(Luke 15:13 NLT). When the economy turned sour, he could only find work feeding a farmer's swine. He almost starved to death. At one point, he became so hungry he had to eat the pods that the farmer fed to the swine. I can imagine him sitting there by the trough dividing the food between himself and the pigs: "swine," "mine," "swine," "mine." He then realized that his father's servants were living better than this. He humbled himself and headed home. His merciful father was glad to receive him and gave him a big welcome back party. Of course, by having the party, the father was by no means condoning his son's wastefulness, but rather celebrating his coming to his senses.

Are you wasteful in any area of your life, or do you actively seek ways to practice frugality? For instance, do you allow your children to open a can of soda, take a few sips, and then trash it? Did you know that there are special lids available at the supermarket that will allow you to seal the can and preserve the fizz? Are you too embarrassed to ask for a doggie bag when you eat out? Do you bring home leftovers from your restaurant dining and then allow them to spoil in the refrigerator before you can consume them? Do you consider reusing plastic lunch bags, especially when you only use them for dry goods such as chips and cookies? They can be recycled at least once after a quick swipe with a damp towel. Do you always turn the lights off when you leave the room? Do you use both sides of the paper when printing drafts of reports-at home and at work?

I have practiced frugality as far back as I can remember. In fact, Darnell teases that I squeeze each dollar so tightly it's a wonder I don't rub George Washington's face right off the front of it. Yes, I turn the bottle upside down and get the last drop out of everything. I pick up every penny I find when I'm out walking. As Benjamin Franklin said, "A penny saved is a penny earned." I use vinegar and water instead of the fancy cleaners to clean glass and shiny surfaces. I do everything I can to save money-not to hoard it, but so that I can share it. I can't think of a single thing I have ever purchased that has brought more joy than writing a check to someone who desperately needs it. We are never more like Christ than when we are giving.

I want to be careful to balance our discussion by warning that we should not allow our desire to be frugal to keep us from fully enjoying the things that are within the bounds of what God allows. I thoroughly enjoy the breathtaking view of the city from my home. My husband and I have made great sacrifices in putting the needs of God's house before our own desires. Therefore, we refuse to allow Satan to make us feel guilty about what God has provided.

Frugality is not a call to poverty, and it certainly should not take the fun out of our lives. It is important that we enjoy the abundant life that Christ came to give us. It is equally important to understand that abundance is not to be equated with extravagance. God blesses His children with abundance so that they can bless others with their overflow. If we are all poverty-stricken, how will we have an overflow?

Frugality is simply avoiding waste. Wastefulness will keep your finances in a tailspin. Frugality is evidence that God can trust you with increased resources because you have learned how to manage what He already supplied.

Read the above in 30 Days to Taming Your Finances: What To Do (and Not Do) to Make Your Money Go Further by Deborah Smith Pegues

Reading: Extreme cheapskates: Tightwads revel in frugality - Newsvine
Tags: Frugal, Frugality

Improved Security in Khartoum Base

We got this two German Sheperds to be our guard dogs since the day our house was broken into.

They were just cute little puppies a month ago. A month later when I dropped in again, this two little fellas have grown a lot.

A month ago, it was nothing for them to just gnare at my fingers as I knew they were playing. Their teeth have grown much bigger and sharper now ...... hehe

This is Kujo. We are still waiting for his ears to stand up straight being a German Sheperd breed.

It was not easy trying to capture this shot as they were so playful.











This is Leo.

Their naughty moments, trying to bite each other.

The moment I squat down to take a better picture, they will start running towards me and I have to stand up fast because they can jump on you easily now.

I remembered that I was chasing them around the house garden the last time. The scenario changed this afternoon. As I started running away from them, they came running after me.

We were just saying that in two months time, we will have two strong dogs in our house that we may be even afraid of walking into our garden area.
Tags: German Sheperd

Cheeseburger in a Can

Just when you thought getting your burgers from McDonalds or other fast food chains are much faster. Wait till you hear that a Swiss company is already producing burgers in cans.

Trek N' Eat, a company under the Katadyn Group has made it so much easier for people on the move. More so for trekkers and not for people like you and me who are lazy to go out for lunch.

They have this wonderful Cheeseburger under the brand name of Trekking-Mahlzeiten.It's being sold at Euro 3.95.

Just put the can into a pot of water and start the fire. Give and take a minute or two.
Open the can and take it out.
Ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaa ........ your meal's ready.

Whether it's the same taste as those found in fast food chains ....... you just have to try it yourself. It has a shelf life of twelve months from date of production.

Reading: The canned cheeseburger – fast food in the wilderness - Gizmag

Tags: Cheeseburger, Trek N' Eat, Katadyn Group, Fast Food, Trekking-Mahlzeiten

Employee of the Month

A colleague of mine was awarded the Employee of the Month lately when, unknowingly, an email being circulated around the office purportedly trying to make fun of him got to the hands of the Senior Management. Suprisingly, the Senior Management was proud of him.

What did the management say?
Here it is:-
"This is the level of dedication we expect from all staff!

In this day and age we all have laptops so we see no excuses.

regards
Management"
Tags: Employee of the Month, Laptop

So True Especially for Malaysian Toilets

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.

Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern 'seat covers' (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume ' The Stance.'

In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold 'The Stance.'

To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, 'Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!' Your thighs shake more.

You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail.

Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet 'Occupied!' you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, 'You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get.'

By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.

At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.

You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, 'Here, you just might need this.'

As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, 'What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?'

This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door!

This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately!
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I picked this article from an email sent by my friend. This article may have potrayed you but it's somehow fictional and it's just co-incidental that you think it was you that I'm posting about.
Tags: Malaysian Toilet, Toilet Seat, Public Restroom, Public Bathroom

Berserk Mom Slapped Another Student

This incident occurred at the SK Bukit Damansara in Kuala Lumpur on May 20. A boy of the 1 Kreatif class was slapped by an adult woman aged 35 who accused him of bullying her son and being ‘too tough' in class. The victim is the assistant class monitor.

The attacker who is also a mother to a child in the same class had barged into the class and slapped this assistant class monitor, leaving marks and a scratch. This happened right after recess (during the morning session of schooling), after the science teacher had just entered the classroom.

Not only that, this mother kept pushing the boy repeatedly while throwing out foul words at him, all this in front of the teacher and the rest of the class. Despite the boy's cries of ‘I'm sorry, I'm sorry', the mother didn't stop.

Even the class teacher was yelled at. Questions like, ‘Who the hell are you to tell that my son is stupid?', ‘Where is the pig Azraai?', ‘Hey, f _ _ _ _ _ _ , why you bully my son?' were flying freely about the class.

In the end, this assistant class monitor was assaulted and left crying and this mother who had entered freely the school's property during school hours eventually left without feeling any guilt for what she had done.

The assistant class monitor then told his father later what happened, after being very quiet in the car. No one from the school called the injured party's mom or dad. His mother had to find out from another parent.

The next day, some parents gathered at the school gate and talked about what happened and on the next course of action that should be taken.

1. The victim's mom made a police report, wrote letters to the school with copies extended to the ministry of education seeking an explanation, She then met the relevant teachers regarding the matter

2. A few parents, including victim's mom, met with the ‘guru besar' and a few teachers over this ‘sensitive issue' (so termed by the teachers).

3. The husband of the attacker went to the school on May 21 to complain that someone had taken a photo of his son. This without knowing what his wife had done the day before.

4. The attacker then apologised to the victim's mom via an SMS on May 22 but not before verbally abusing her on May 21 from 1:30pm to 2pm

5. The school claims that they have issued a ban on the attacker and she is only allowed in with written permission from the headmaster.

6. The police are crawling with the investigation. The investigating officer says that they have not closed the file and that we can proceed with the civil suit. The police have asked the victim's parents to settle the issue with the school.

7. It was also made known that the attacker made a police report stating that her son was being bullied by boys from 1Kreatif class and that she had earlier went to the school to complain about the victim kicking and hurting her son, while another male classmate, Azraai was also accused of hiding the victim's school bag.

The pressing issue now is that a minor has been assaulted by an adult, in public, witnessed by teachers and students. The school was irresponsible in not informing the boy's parents of the incident or taking any action against the adult. Parents are left frustrated.

This assistant class monitor is only seven years old. All of them in the class are also seven years old. They are boys and they play and fight all the time in class, at home, everywhere. They are sent to school to learn how to live, play, accept, learn and adapt to other children.

Now an assault has taken place, it has become just one of the many police reports, it's just a statistic. We parents are not happy and do not regard this matter as resolved.

There has not been any arrest on the charges of trespassing and assault and parents are only told that the issue is still under investigation by the education ministry.

The above article was extracted from Malaysiakini's website.

I would say that this lady is surely some big shot's wife. Only people who knew that they have strong back-ups dare to do such things. Otherwise, this berserk mom would have been arrested much much earlier.

What if another parent came into the school and slap her son instead? If she had done this because her son was just being kicked at .......... my my ....... if another parent did slap his son, I'm sure your guess is as good as mine.

Such behaviour is not due to work or life pressure but it's a bully mindset.

Related post - Parents Joined In To Bully
Tags: SK Bukit Damansara, Berserk Mom, Bully

Paintball to be Outlawed?

I have at least two or three friends who are really into the paintball game. I have tried it once albeit a lame one hahahaha. We were supplied with water pump guns only. It was a large area catered for their so called war games at a beach resort located at Rompin/Lanjut beach area.

That was my only exposure to it. The closest I have ever been near it is witnessing the people playing the game itself near my place of stay.

Gathered from my friends that this game is really expensive and you could spend a minimum of RM100 per game which also depends on how long you intend to play.

I would say that the game is still new in Malaysia and that it's too expensive to reach the mass.

For Germans, they better play the game fast as they may not be able to get their hands on those high adrenalin pressured guns in time to come. The German government is proposing that the paintball be banned in Germany.

Why? Reason - simulate killing on the grounds that they trivialise and encourage violence.

Recent shootings in Germany caused many innocents to be killed. The ease of obtaining guns / weapons has prompted such call for a ban that may even include paintball.

Reading: Germany moves to outlaw paintball - BBC News/Europe
Tags: Paintball, German, Germany