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Is Tech Support Really to Blame?

05.19.2021 by hope // Leave a Comment

Everyday is an opportunity

Yesterday, I lost an hour an hour of my life that I can never get back. You probably have been in my shoes. The frustration of life in a first world country.

wires and phone parts on desk

The scenario

It’s kind of a long story, but I have to share it. Otherwise, you may not see the full picture and realize what a jerk I can be. We are all sinful creatures. Right?

Well, almost two years ago (see I told you this would be long), Michael and I moved our cell phones to a new carrier. We decided to set up a business account so that we could take advantage of counting this as a business expense. Since we are a very small business and only needed three lines, they talked us into ‘a better deal’. We ended up taking on a line for the truck, a line for a desk top phone (which we did not need), another mysterious line and the three cell phone lines we did actually need.

Back Story

At the time, we were planning a move and decided to hold off on setting up the desktop phone until after we were had made that transition. Well, the move took longer than expected and then we basically forgot about the phone. Over this past weekend, we finally realized that it might actually be helpful to have that line working. Yeah, almost two years of paying for the line for no real reason.

I located the box and pulled out all of the parts. It basically had to be put together. It seemed simple. Power line, connected. Internet line, connected. Receiver cord, connected. And…..”invalid account/no internet connection”.

My Attempt to Resolve the Issue

Let’s try that again. Disconnect everything and reconnect in a different order. Nothing.

So, I go to the company’s website. Super, there’s a video! I watch it and it’s no help. I’ve already done everything like the woman in the video. It’s still not connecting.

Ugh! I hate this, but I’m going to have to call tech support. Does anyone else dread this like I do? It’s like going to the dentist for me. Technology has always caused me anxiety. I’m that woman that has to get her husband to ‘fix’ her email. I mean, seriously! It used to be really bad.

However, in recent months, I’ve turned over a new leaf and put my big girl pants on. I have begun to tackle technology. I even created this website WITHOUT any help from Michael Stephens. Are you proud of me, Babe?

Okay, I digress.

Why is this so hard?

So, I make this phone call and get put through the wringer. I have to prove that I am a legit account admin and I can make decisions and all that. Then we finally get to the reason for my call. I attempt to explain that I have this phone that we have had for nearly two years and I am just now setting it up. The guy, who is clearly not here in Alabama, is struggling to understand my English. He definitely cannot understand while I am just now connecting a phone I have had for two years. Silly American?! However, we work together to try everything written out for him on his troubleshooting cards.

Nothing is working. I move the phone to connect it directly to the router and no success. We go through the steps of resetting the factory settings. Still no connection.

The tipping point

Then the kicker comes when he tells me I need to call and reset my password. He gives me a phone number to call and tells me to go ahead and call and he will wait for me.

I pause. Squint my eyes and shake my head.

“Wait. You want me to call while you wait?!?” “Yes”

“But I only have the cell phone I am calling you from. The phone I am calling about is not connected.”

“That’s okay. I will wait for you.”

I’m really about to lose it now. I take a deep breathe and say, “You realize that if I call this number right now, I have to hang up on you. Right?” I don’t think that part was spelled out on his prompt cards.

He finally does realize that his suggestion made no sense and went on to suggest that my problem was that I needed to use a WIFI connection to connect the phone. You know, since the direct connection wouldn’t work. (You hear my sarcasm, right?)

black desktop phone on shelf

Clearly, this is not what I wanted to hear and he had nothing else for me. Instead of simply letting me go, he attempted to ask if he had been helpful. I’m sure it was on his prompt cards. Yes, you guessed it. I wanted to scream.

That little voice in my head/heart

It was at this moment that my spirit spoke up and reminded me that this guy in some foreign country was not at fault here. As much as I wanted to place blame on someone else – the cell phone provider, the phone manufacturer, the outsourcing of tech support… This moment was all on me.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17,18

This was a moment for me to slow down and breathe. I did. Then God gave me the grace to say, “I realize that none of this is your fault. You are doing your job the best way you know how to. You can’t control how this phone works or how this system works. I appreciate your efforts to help me. Thank you.”

No amount of sassiness would make that phone work. However, I had an opportunity to be human and to appreciate the efforts of a person living in a foreign country and most likely with far less than I have. He didn’t create the system of outsourcing labor to another country to take advantage of their cheap labor. He also didn’t create the problem I have of purchasing a phone that stayed in a box for two years because I was too busy to set it up.

My frustration is the result of living too fast to take care of the things that need to be taken care of. The most important of which is my own heart and my witness to others.

The challenge

So, I was left with the challenge to apply that passage from James to my heart. I am an American and I live a life that is still too rushed. I am working to slow my roll and see God’s hand at work around me, but I still get caught up in the ugliness of a ‘me first’ culture.

Instead, my desire truly needs to be wisdom that is from above, that is pure and peaceable and gentle. Wisdom that is reasonable and produces good fruit. Man! I have a long way to go, but I’m trying to make a change.

Really, I am.

Lord, help me apply Your Word to my heart and my life. Enable me to understand and realize daily that my words and even my thoughts, are a witness of what is happening inside me.

Guide me to become a person who sows and makes peace.

Welcome message on phone

The day after

UPDATE! After a really good quiet time and some time spent outdoors (which makes my heart smile)…I went back for one last try. I moved the internet connection cord AND it’s now working! Of course, I had to call Michael to share my news.

But I got his voicemail. Oh well…I’m still celebrating alone (and with you) 🙂

Categories // Faith, Simple life

25 Tips for Shopping Healthy on a Budget

05.13.2021 by hope // Leave a Comment

Save money and eat better by following these tips to shop healthy on a budget

Next to mortgage payments or rent, groceries are largest ticket item for most of us. This means that there is a lot of room for finding ways to save. Here, I share 25 tips for shopping healthy on a budget.

Pantry shelf with grains, peanut butter and tuna
  1. Organize your resources. Shopping healthy on a budget starts with an organized pantry and refrigerator. Knowing what you have on hand and seeing needs clearly greatly reduces stress in decision making and also helps in planning.
  2. Assess the stock. Now that you can see everything, assess what you have to work with. Make note of what proteins, grains and veggies you have on hand and think creatively.
  3. Plan a healthy menu around those items. Having a plan will keep you from being tempted to hit up a drive through on the way home from work or soccer practice. Just knowing that you have waiting for you, makes that temptation a non-issue. Need some flexibility? No problem. Having a dinner plan for Monday through Friday doesn’t mean that you have to have Monday’s meal on Monday. You can always change things up as the week progresses and schedules change. Having the ideas and the items on hand, though, will make it easier to make a healthy meal that keeps you within your budget.
  4. Create a shopping list. From that menu, create your healthy shopping list and stick to it in order to keep to your budget. Remember that children learn from watching us, so using that list will teach a valuable lesson to your children as well. Bonus, children LOVE to be the list keeper. Just like crossing items off our ‘to do’ list is satisfying for us, the same is true for little helpers and keeps them engaged.
  5. Never shop when you are tired, hungry or stressed for time. That’s just a recipe for disaster. Enjoy a healthy meal and budget your time for shopping. This will allow for better decision making and also make grocery shopping less of a chore.
  6. Utilize weekly specials. Take advantage of viewing sales flyers online before making that menu and list. Also pay attention to unadvertised prices and cycles of price changes. For example, our local Aldi usually has great prices on eggs, but it really varies from week to week. One week they are $.49 a dozen and the next two weeks they might be almost $1.87. So, on that week they are $.49, it’s a smart move to buy several dozen so that you can skip those weeks that they are the higher price.
  7. Have some meatless meals. Meat is a high ticket item. One way to save some money is to choose alternative protein sources for a couple of meals a week. Eggs and beans are two possibilities to still eat healthy and stick to a budget.
  8. Shop perimeter of store if trying to eat healthy (real foods). Avoid center aisles and end cap specials which are usually stocked with processed food items. Fresh whole food items are going to be around the edges of the store. These include dairy, produce and meat.
  9. Fresh is best. When you have the option, fresh is always the healthier choice, then frozen and lastly canned. However, even canned is still better than chips. Starting with simple real whole foods (whole potatoes or carrots) rather than scalloped potatoes in a box or instant rice dishes. This will not only save you money, but give you more room for creativity and control over your meals. Plus, you are ‘missing out’ on all of those added chemicals and ingredients you can’t pronounce.
  10. Be adventurous and try store brands. We probably all have some national brands that we have been loyal to since childhood. Sometimes may not even know why. We just buy Miracle Whip or Kraft because that’s what our mom did. But, often those national brands are made in the same facilities that produce the store brands. So it’s possible that the store brand of one item is actually the same as the national brand you know. Why not be adventurous and take a chance. Worst case, you don’t like it and now you know. Best case, you will like it and you’ll save some money.
  11. Comparison shop online. Sometimes you’ll be surprised at online prices, especially for bulk items. Ordering from Amazon Prime, Azure Standard or Thrive Market might offer you surprisingly good prices and often on items you may not be able to find in your local stores. Another plus is that these sites deliver to your door so you can save some time there. You just have to do a little research and plan ahead a bit.
  12. Sneaky product placement! Pay attention to bottom and top shelves in the store. Eye level shelves are usually the premium items. You’ve heard the phrase “location, location, location” in reference to real estate, right? Well, the same is true in the grocery store. Those brands pay more for that real estate and in return, so will you. Check out what’s on that top shelf and what’s hidden down below. You might find some great deals.
  13. Check unit prices. Sometimes it’s not the best deal to buy the largest size. Most stores actually have the unit price marked on the shelf. It’s that small number next to the price. Pay attention though. One item may be priced per ounce and another per pound, so be sure you are comparing apples to apples.
  14. Experiment with shopping new places. You might be surprised to discover a new store that saves you more money or carries items that surprise you. I’ll never forget learning that Aldi saved me at least 30% over the big box store I where I was shopping. After that experience, I will shop Aldi every chance I get.
  15. Don’t get sucked into bulk buys. Warehouse stores often have great prices on bulk items but be careful. Those big packages aren’t always a great deal. Also, know what you are shopping for. For example, Costco has nicer brands, but higher prices. Great prices for what the item is, but Sam’s Club usually has better prices for simpler or less prestigious brands. So, it depends on your goal and your needs. Find out which store fits your needs best. Your decision may not be the same as mine as needs are different. Do try to make those warehouse store trips on a monthly basis rather than weekly.
  16. Opt for unseasoned cuts of meat to save money and have healthier meals. This might require an extra step for you at home, but you can be confident knowing that you control the ingredients in your meals.
  17. Buy unprepared produce. If saving money is your top priority, then buy your carrots, lettuce and broccoli whole. However, there are some phases of our lives when we need some extra help in the kitchen to save time. During those days, there are lots of healthy options. Shredded carrots, washed and prepared lettuce and broccoli florets ready to use are great time savers if you decide it’s worth the extra money. No judgement, Friends. Do what blesses your most.
  18. Utilize recipes. Seriously, they really are our friends! I didn’t earnestly start learning to cook real food until I was in my 30’s. We were living in a place that didn’t have Kraft Mac and Cheese, Ranch Dressing or Little Debbie. If we were aching for a taste of home, I had to figure out a way to make it myself “FROM SCRATCH”. Following a recipe allows you to take advantage of the fact that someone else has gone before you and made all the mistakes, so you don’t have to. Experiment and find a selection of family favorites and then keep those recipes handy. I keep a few inside my kitchen cabinet just so I don’t have to guess at measurements. That way, I’m not making mistakes and wasting ingredients.
  19. Keep a running list in a convenient place to jot down when you are running low on something. I keep a shopping list in the Notes app on my phone. I have categories for each of the stores I shop (including hardware stores, feed stores and warehouse stores).
  20. Consider ways you can grow, raise or participate in raising your own food. If you have the space, plant a small garden. If you aren’t saddled with community restrictions, raise some chickens for eggs. Feeling adventurous? Try raising your own meat chickens or other livestock. If that’s not a possibility, consider partnering with someone who is. My husband and I have both laying hens and meat chickens, plus we raise a few pigs for ourselves and a couple of friends who don’t have the space. This is healthier for all of us, including the animals.
  21. Utilize all of the leftovers from meals and meal prep as much as possible. Save little bits of produce to use later in another recipe, salad or soup. Place scraps in a compost bin or feed them to animals (we feed almost all of our food scraps to our livestock). Save bones and make bone broth. All of these options are great for you and the environment.
  22. Don’t buy bottled water. Instead, invest a little money in a water filter.
  23. Make your own tea, coffee, lemonade and sports drinks. This not only is healthier for you, but saves you money and is more environmentally friendly.
  24. Stock up when prices are best. Pay attention to post season prices and closeout deals.
  25. Don’t buy spice mixes. You don’t need taco seasoning, cinnamon and sugar or Italian blends. You can mix these yourself. Just search for recipes online or simply check the ingredients list to make your own recipe. Again, this puts so much more control in your hands.
iPhone open to notes with a grocery list

Not room for overwhelm

Granted this is quite the list and overwhelm is not my aim here. Don’t allow these 25 items to stress you out. Baby steps, friends! Pick one or two items to tackle and see what kind of difference it makes in your budget and in your health. My goal here is to share ideas that will bring you confidence in the actions you take and decisions you make.

For more ideas or to share some of your own tried and true tips, join our community and comment below. I’m always eager to keep improving myself and share those ideas with others.

Blessings!

Categories // Creating Home, Simple life, Uncategorized

Make Natural Rehydration Drink at Home

05.11.2021 by hope // Leave a Comment

Making a natural rehydration drink is something you can easily make at home. No chemicals or ingredients you can’t read. You likely have everything in your kitchen right now.

Why hydrate?

Our bodies are made up of nearly 80% water and in order for our organs to function at their best, we must maintain that water supply. We we fail, we can experience headache, fatigue, dry mouth, weight gain and more. But those are just a few of the symptoms we see or notice. We are actually doing more harm to our organs when we allow dehydration to set in.

Spring has sprung and if you are like me, you are spending a lot more time outdoors. Physical exertion coupled with increased temperatures means we all have to be careful to stay hydrated. Failure to do so can cause all sorts of problems.

Just drink more water? Not so fast…

The solution to avoid dehydration seems to be to just drink more water, right? Well, not so quick. We do need to increase our water intake, especially in warmer weather when we are sweating. However, often we need a little more of a boost with some electrolytes.

ingredients for savory lemonade on countertop

The benefit of a natural rehydration drink

If you are like me, you’ve likely consumed more than your share of some of the old faithful rehydration drinks that have been around for ages. You know, the ones that come in every color and flavor imaginable with an ingredient list that would make your head spin.

There’s just something about combatting the heat and exhaustion with chemicals that just doesn’t sit right with me. This journey to better care for the body God has given me has me questioning a LOT of old habits. I’ve also done more research regarding nutrition over the past couple of years than ever before.

I’ve found that one of the most important ingredients in a natural rehydration drink is a good quality salt. Weston A Price Foundation posted a great article about the benefits here. There is also a link to the Wise Traditions podcast interview on the same topic. If you have the time, it’s a great listen or read. It definitely inspired me to be more intentional about making wise choices regarding salt in my diet.

Last summer, I began experimenting with natural rehydration drink recipes. Some were winners and some, well, not so much. I’ve come up with a four ingredient version of rehydration drink that I call Savory Lemonade and it has become quite popular in our home. You probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now. So, how about whipping up a small batch right now?

Yield: 3 cups

Savory Lemonade Rehydration Drink

ingredients for savory lemonade on counter

Rehydrate your body naturally with this Savory Lemonade sure to perk you up on summer days or anytime you are feeling drained. Forego the energy drinks that only dehyrdate you further and replenish with this tasty drink.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 c water
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tsp Himalayan salt (or other mineralized salt)
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Warm 1/2 c water with the salt and sugar to dissolve the crystals.
  2. Add juice of half lemon to a storage container with the salt and sugar mixture.
  3. Add remainder of water and stir.
  4. Store in the refrigerator.
    Category: Health

    Categories // Health, Recipes, Simple life, Uncategorized

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    Hi there! I’m Hope and the voice of this blog. I’m a Christ and coffee loving wife and mom to two great (and now grown) humans. Join me as my husband  Michael and I journey to leaning up life so that we can focus on the important. Read more here

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