Give Me Neither Blog

I added a new blog to the list on the right side of this page. If you live in the West Michigan area, you may be interested in keeping tabs on Give Me Neither. The writer does amazing things with internet coupons, insert coupons, sales and "shopper perk" cards. Hello food pantry donations and decreasing my grocery budget in one fell swoop!

Remembering it All

As a wife and household manager, I try to keep it all together. Somewhat. Somehow, I managed to forget both bread & butter in my weekly grocery shopping. I make every effort to only buy groceries once per week. I like efficiency. I like to plan. I do not like to part with money and each time I go into a store, more of it flies away. But at least once a month, I find myself calling my dear husband, asking him to stop by Meijer on the way home to pick up _______ so I can finish cooking supper.



This time, I decided to stop at Meijer myself, on my way home from work. I think it was partly because I was embarrassed about forgetting essential sandwich components. Also, I went myself because I could go all by myself. There is just something precious about "running to Meijer" and it really only taking 20 minutes rather than the 45 it takes hauling 2 small (also very precious) children.



As I am at the checkout, my over-friendly cashier noticed I also was buying contact solution and men's razor blades. She launched into a story about her husband who "always forgets to tell me....". On and on she went about her poor husband who is apparently not the detail-oriented person in their home. In truth, the reason she started the story is because I mentioned that my husband just ran out of contact solution. (Truly, sweety, I didn't complain or pull a martyr-mom stunt.) In my head I started to empathize with her when... I realized that I was only there because I forgot to buy bread and butter. So as quickly as my empathy arrived, I dismissed it. Husbands have an awful lot to keep track of, too. I really do enjoy a more relaxed pace of life at home - as relaxed as I want it to be. Husbands carry a burden to support their family, love their wives (we do make it difficult sometimes) and are away from home for most of their day. The stress!

While this is a tiny example, it really provoked my thoughts to be gentler with Todd in regards to his responsibilities at home. In our division of labor, it's really my job to make sure we have what we need in the house. It's his job to make sure we can pay for it. : ) It also spawned thoughts about how easy it is to jump on the "dumb spouse" bandwagon. The things that most irk me about my spouse are typically my most secret and deepest flaws, wounds and failings.

"He who began this good work in you will carry it though to completion." (Philippians)