IT'S A GOD HONORING THING..THATS WHY

I see we have a few new people reading this blog and some of you do not know me or why I am doing this. As you start to coupon you WILL find many things along the way to try and get you to "bend" off the legit path. Today when I was at K-mart there was a lady who keep 'slipping' in internet coupons as she was handing the cashier her coupons. You are not to use internet coupons at K-mart and this lady slipping them in was not only breaking the rules she was one of the reason that K-mart may not keep doing the double days. It cost each and everyone of us when someone does something like this. Because of this lady I want to be sure you each know how I feel about this.

Several months ago, I read a post at Amy's Humble Musings that comes to mind when I think of couponing. Here's an excerpt from that post:



"I’ve often told one of my toddling children to stay in the family room. Here’s what they do. They go to the edge of the family room where the carpet meets the tile in the kitchen, and then they put their fingers, toes, and miscellaneous body parts on the line. They look to see if I’m watching. They weigh all their options. If I’m far enough away, they might put a scraggly toenail over the line and wait.

"Christians are a lot like two-year-olds. They’ll read what the Bible says and then start looking for loopholes and lines. Instead of obeying the spirit of the command, they’ll look to see how much they can get away with before making a technical violation. Instead of just staying in the family room and enjoying it, they want to know what the rules should be if a meteor were to hit the house. It shouldn’t be this way."


The issue of coupon usage is the same. As you begin to browse the world of couponing, be aware that you'll run across many discussions over what is ethical - where the "line" is. But really, it's black and white. If you ever have questions about coupon usage, you should always go to the source (email or call CVS corporate, Walgreens corporate, etc.) and find out the rules or what their intentions are.

It breaks my heart as I have visited many couponing and frugality websites and/or blogs to read of so many people using coupons in ways other than intended, abusing the system and even using unauthorized coupons (sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly), in the name of "frugality" or "prudence" or "good stewardship". As Christians, we are required to play by the rules instead of trying to outsmart the system or look for loopholes. To be a GOOD steward of His money, first and foremost, we have to use it with 100% integrity. We're required to follow the letter of the law on coupons and on store policies, as well as the spirit of the law.

They say "ignorance is bliss". Sometimes I guess it is, in a way. If we don't find out for ourselves what the rules are, we can claim ignorance and just do what we feel like doing, or what works for us. Everyone can just do what they think is right - and with our fleshly natures that spells nothing but trouble! It can be tempting to not call and find out what the rules are, especially when you read about others getting such great deals. Unfortunately (and fortunately) though, God knows our hearts. He knows the "games" we play. And if we are going to claim to be followers of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, we have to live up to the standards that are layed out in the Bible as best we can. Keep your focus on God who is our Provider. We need to, as Amy put it, just "stay in the living room and enjoy it."

Before I sit down to "put together deals", I pray and ask the Lord to guide me in doing this, to keep me from being selfish (I know some of you shop the same stores I do) that my attitude toward this is to bring glory to my Lord and not to myself and that as other read it, it will bless them.

It has to be about honoring God.

Carol Jean