But, what does God tell us through his word ?  Take JOB 14: 1 “We are all born weak and helpless. All lead the same short, troubled life.” This translation comes from the GOOD NEWS BIBLE. I chose it because says very clearly, in today’s language that life was always going to have its struggles. The book of Job is one of the best books of the Bible to illustrate this. As you probably remember Job was a faithful servant of God. Yet he was beset with problem after problem. Read his full story sometime. I guarantee you Job’s case would drive a modern day social worker out of the business for good.

So all is lost ? We should just give up ? Not hardly ! Because even though God did not promise us that life in this world would be easy, he did make us some very important promises. Consider with me the words of John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (KJV) In this verse scripture gives us both points I want to make, first that life in this mortal world was always going to have its difficulties, second that God will be there to see us through our troubles. In fact when we travel through the “storms of life” with God we often exit them better and stronger than ever before ! We see this aspect clearly in Romans 5:3 “ We also boast of our troubles, because we know trouble produces endurance.” (GNB) Let’s face it we live in an imperfect world. Stuff is going to happen. Can we not however find comfort in the idea that each trial we go through, equips us to better handle the trials that lay in the future ? I believe we can !

When we are in the midst of a situation it can seem like things will go on as they are forever. Fortunately this is never the case. One of the most important things to remember when our life is getting difficult is to remember how temporary our struggles are. One of the greatest challenges of surviving our struggles is reminding ourselves that we can and will feel happy again. We find this in JOB 11:16 “ For thou shalt forget thy misery: Thou shalt remember it as waters washed away.” (ASV) Isn’t that a wonderful thought !  Can you imagine sitting next to a river, the soft sound of the bubbling water washing away every care you have in the world. This is what God has promised. That you will journey through problems brought on by this world. You can and will reach a place of peace !

Our biggest mistake would be in not turning to God when times get tough. Our heavenly father is the one who will guide us and give us the comfort that we need. Look at JOB 29:25 “ I took charge and made the decisions; I led them as a King leads his troops, and gave them comfort in their despair. “ (GNB) When life gets hard it can be as if we are driving through a forest, in the dark of night with no headlights.

Aren’t you glad we have someone to guide us when things are so bad we can’t see ? I know that I am !

So when life gets tough remind yourself of the things we talked about. Remind yourself that the most together looking person in the world goes through hard times. Remind yourself that this is just a temporary part of the journey we call life. Most importantly of all remind yourself that you have God on your side. That he will see you through, and that you will be stronger for it ?

A Natural Pull

The desire to have children is hard-wired into the hearts of men and women in all countries and cultures.  From the little girl who grows up playing with dolls and imagining the day she will become a mommy to the young man who ponders the day when he’ll be raising a son of his own, it is perfectly normal to pursue the lifelong dream of starting a family.

While many Katy couples are able to conceive effortlessly, others do not get immediate natural results. Eventually some must battle a roadblock to parenthood: Infertility. They face frustration, despair, heartbreak, and even blame themselves or each other for a situation that can’t be solved without medical intervention.

Lynn and Scott Martin are a Katy couple who, joyously, are expecting their first child in the near future. “We tried to conceive off and on for 3 years,” says Lynn, who started intrauterine insemination in October ‘09. “We switched to in-vitro fertilization and successfully conceived in April.” Houston Fertility Institute (HFI) gets credit for making the journey into parenthood possible for us. “Our Ob-Gyn recommended that we contact Dr. Haddad for testing. After meeting him, visits to Houston Fertility Institute felt more like being part of a family than visiting a doctor’s office. I was cared for by a gentle, patient staff who answered all my questions during my weekly ultrasounds and blood work. My body was going through so many changes, and they held my hand the whole way,” Lynn said.

Possible Causes of Infertility

Why is conception and pregnancy so easy for some and so difficult for others? According to Dr. Haddad, Medical Director at HFI, 1/3 of infertility issues stem from women, 1/3 stem from men, and 1/3 is a mix of each.  Every case differs, but infertility patients may have several struggles in common. Low sperm count in men or irregularities within a woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes may be the culprit.  Hidden injuries or hormonal imbalances in either gender can cause problems as can undetected birth defects. Stress, obesity, and even excessive exercise can cause infertility. The list goes on and on and includes requests to reverse vasectomies and tubal ligations. “Testicular aspirations are actually more successful than vasectomy reversals,” says Dr. Haddad. “The same goes for tubal ligations. Usually in-vitro fertilization is much faster with a higher success rate than a reversal.” Regardless of the reason for infertility, hope and answers are available.

A diagnosis may be relatively simple, or in some cases may take thorough examinations and medical procedures.  For an easy-to-understand explanation of available treatments, visit a great source of information:  www.houstonfertilityinstitute.com. For many couples, HFI takes the mystery out of the equation and provides education, support, and a path to their long-sought fertility.

For many couples, HFI takes the mystery out of the equation and provides education, support, and a path to their long-sought fertility.

Trust the Experts

It takes a team to overcome infertility. Dr. Gus Haddad along with founder Dr. Jimmy Gill, Dr. Jason Griffith, Dr. Daniel B. Williams, Dr. Craig A. Witz, Dr. Wei-Hua Wang, PhD, along with several partnering psychologists provide the medical and psychological expertise necessary to achieve pregnancy. These renowned physicians are held in highest esteem by grateful couples in Katy, like the Martins, and hundreds of other patients in the surrounding area who are now experiencing the joy of being called ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’!

Patients can rest assured at Houston Fertility Institute because they offer one of the highest success rates in the city, affordably-priced IVF, 7 fully-staffed clinic locations and multiple financing options – all designed to reduce the stress level of their patients.

“For the past 20 years or so fertility research and treatment has evolved,” says Dr. Haddad. “I anticipate that in another decade we’ll look back and consider today’s treatments primitive. It really is a remarkable field of medicine and help is available to couples hoping to start a family.”

To find out what is necessary for successful conception, contact HFI at any of their offices where miracles happen every day!

For more information about Houston Fertility Institute, visit www.houstonfertilityinstitute.com or call 281-693-2HFI (2434).

Katy: 23920 Katy Fwy, Ste 340 | Katy

Houston Office & IVF Lab: 2500 Fondren, Ste 350 | Houston

Tomball Regional Hospital – IVF Lab: 605 Holderreith Blvd, 2nd Floor | Tomball

Clear Lake: 251 Medical Center Blvd, Ste 125 | Webster

Medical Center: 6400 Fannin, Ste 2000 | Houston

Sugar Land: 16545 Southwest Fwy, Ste 275 | Sugar Land

The Woodlands: 9200 Pinecroft, Ste 480 | The Woodlands

Willowbrook: 13215 Dotson, Ste 100 | Houston

Join us as we rally for November and help raise local funds to win these important races.

Spring Creek BBQ
5935 Highway 6 North (@ West Little York)
Houston, TX 77084
(281) 345-0326

August 21st  • 11 am to 2 pm

For more information call Katy Christian Magazine at (713) 874-7394 or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/katychristianmagazine.

What can I say?  What dare I say to the response C. B. Overton sent me in reply to last week’s article?  I’ve know CB for 30 years.  We worked together on a project for the United States Army that is still being used as a model that projected many of the things that are happening in our country today.  When we wrote that the Army’s key to a successful recruit was someone who finished high school, it’s mindboggling that more money is spent by researchers to tell us the same thing. Graduating from high school shows a certain tenacity and stick-to-itiveness. Graduating from high school was an indicator recruiters used as they grew the all-Volunteer force.  Graduating from high school was a ticket to other things.  But graduating from high school is not an end in itself.  Education is the rubric by which our young people are being and will be judged.

CB was my boss; a grandmother who as a research sociologist was a trailblazer in the Army.  She competed with men at a time when men were still the majority in the workforce, and things were not easy. There was a glass ceiling that few women were granted entrance.  Most could just see it.  Bea rose above it.  She learned what worked.  Knew like many before and after her, if she didn’t fit a mold, she’d have to adapt.  She did. Even signing her name, C. B., was a way to eschew her way into the hallowed halls of the Pentagon, and many places that were sacrosanct to men.  In the process this driven woman achieved a level of success at home and in the workforce.  In the process, she and her husband, who was a principal at a public school, raised two boys to leave home.  Both young men got degrees, and as Bea often laughed, they may not have liked what she served them but NOW they appreciate it.  Babying boys is the worse things mothers can do, short of not loving their fathers, and Bea didn’t baby either of their sons.

Our younger son asked me if there was anything I regretted in life.  What an opportunity for a life lesson!  What an opportunity to unload on an adolescent that given a different choice, a different opportunity he may not be there.  Sometimes when we listen God gives us answers so profound we wonder who’s speaking.  What did I tell my son? “There is nothing in our lives that we do that we don’t regret, but there is nothing we can do about it, so why worry about it?”

I’ve made plenty of mistakes.  Each day I think God looks down and sees what Archie will do to have him ROTFL.  For you old folks, that’s ‘rolling on the floor laughing.’  You see I know God has a sense of humor, and everyday he gets at least one laugh from me as I make mistakes I’ve never made before.  I travel a road I’ve not taken.  I have a different take on something I’ve never realized before, because God keeps me grounded.

Right now, he’s grounding men.  He’s been doing it for sometime but many men are just getting the gist.  With more women in the workforce than men, nowadays, men have to step up their game or they will be one of those standing on the corner ‘begging.’  I’m not denigrating those who have been humbled to the point of being homeless, but rather I’m extolling men to look out. You got to do something with all the lemons you’ve been picking, particularly if you haven’t learned how to make lemonade.

I go back to Dr. Overton’s comment [an honorary degree I’ve awarded her, as she’s continued to be a bastion of knowledge for me] and as I go back, I realize she’s right.  I don’t see a man like Sarah Palin who has the chutzpah, gravitas or testicular fortitude to get men to rally behind him and say in the inimitable word as the new anchor in ‘Network,’ “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to stand for it anymore.”

And we should be, men.  Spending more money for prisons than we spend on education, that’s something to be mad about.  We have states that are going bankrupt and are releasing small time felons because of overcrowding.  Recently, on the nightly news, it was reported by the California’s Department of Finance, California spends $47,000 annually per inmate.  They also reported that the state also spends 2.8 billion ‘more’ dollars on prisons than higher education.  That’s right. California spends only $6.5 billion dollars on higher education, but $9.3 billion dollars on prisons.  Has anyone thought, maybe that why some men may choose prison over an education?  I’m sure that’s not the reason, but tell me what will those prisoners who will be released early do if they can’t find a job, in a job market where there are more senior citizens working than teenagers, something that’s not happened in my lifetime.  These ex-cons can’t be hoping to find a wife to take care of their felonious ‘lazy’ butt.

Men, we have to get tough.  We have to realize as Dr. Overton admonishes, get off your duff, ‘get to work, earn an education, act like men!   Lazy won’t get it…women today won’t…be married to a lazy guy. Then tell me, who will our young boys have to look to as they attempt to become men who want to be fathers?  Think about it!

“‘if they feel God has deserted them,’ do they think it’s because God left them, or they left God?”

Father Max [p. 38]

from “Murder Behind Closed Doors” by Jere Myles

American’s rampant sleep problem is evidenced by the number of sleep aids currently sold on the market. In fact, it’s highly likely that you are one of the millions that currently have a sleep aid in your medicine cabinet.

Instead of addressing the underlying cause of sleep disturbances like insomnia, we settle for medicated sleep, which at best gives us poor quality sleep often accompanied by a host of side effects. You don’t even realize how much you depend on restful sleep until you have trouble sleeping. Sleep is absolutely essential to your health.

Did you know that hormonal imbalance can be the underlying reason to why you have trouble sleeping? As a child, good, sound sleep came so naturally that it never really even crossed our mind.  . However, as we age, the hormone balance of childhood, which kept us sleeping soundly, declines. Whether your sleep issues involve insomnia, you experience difficulty falling asleep, you wake up frequently throughout the night, or you simply wake up not feeling refreshed despite a full night’s sleep, correcting hormonal imbalance could be the key to getting back into a regular pattern of refreshing sleep.

Progesterone has a soporific or sleep effect and generates a sense of calmness when taken before bedtime. Low progesterone is often a culprit behind insomnia and anxiety.

Estrogen – Oftentimes, estrogen deficiency can cause sleep disturbances mainly due to night sweats and hot flashes. The use of bioidentical estrogen must be balanced with bioidentical progesterone.

Testosterone – In men, testosterone is important for quality deep sleep and the less sleep a man gets, the lower his testosterone levels become. It’s a vicious cycle. Low testosterone can also play a role in sleep apnea.

Thyroid – In addition to giving people more energy as well as regulating your metabolism, thyroid hormone also improves the quality of sleep, allowing you to spend more time in the deep phases of sleep. Thyroid hormone is also beneficial in helping those who wake up frequently during the night from snoring or sleep apnea.

Adequate levels of melatonin are essential for a good night’s sleep. Your body releases melatonin mostly at night and it declines as you age. If you have trouble sleeping, because you are restless throughout the night and suffer from agitated sleep, supplementing with over-the-counter melatonin could be just what you need.

If you have trouble sleeping, there are also a few natural sleep aids that can help you sleep soundly including magnesium, 5-HTP, calcium citrate and inositol.

This judge showed herself – at the very least – to be sympathetic to the liberal, globalist agenda that has been gradually but increasingly exercising itself against the sovereignty of America for the last century. The “progressive” movement has accelerated since the early 1900s, exposing itself overtly with David Rockefellers’ mid-century comment “All we need is the right major crisis, and the nations will accept the new world order,” to the overtly evil strategies of the God-hating, America-hating George Soros to destroy currencies, undermine economies, etc.

Two related federal laws that this “judge” thumbed her nose at are:

1. Non-citizens are required to keep their “papers” on them and be ready to show them at any time. This is a common requirement in every nation in the world, including the U.S. This judge said “no” (at least in terms of showing their identification to state and local authorities in Arizona, which in turn effectively voids the following federal law):

2. Section 642 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 says “no…government entity or official may prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending…information regarding the citizenship or immigration status…of any individual.” (In other words, federal, state, and local law enforcement are all in this together. That is, or at least was, federal law.)

Judge Bolton flushed the Constitution and federal law in this egregious example of judicial activism. Take note that this is a forewarning of the type of judge Elena Kagan will be on the Supreme Court (who will hear this case when it inevitably reaches the Supreme Court).

The aforementioned 1996 law made “sanctuary” cites and states illegal. But Obama did not sue San Francisco which has been thumbing their nose at federal immigration laws for years. He sued Arizona for trying to protect their citizenry. This is beyond hypocrisy! It is another sign that Obama is not seeking to protect and defend the Constitution, but is trying to destroy the America that we all know and love in order to, in his words, “fundamentally transform America.”

Former Congressman and Republican Presidential Candidate Tom Tancredo recently wrote a Washington Times Op-Ed piece called “The Case for Impeachment.” Tancredo points out that there are several valid Constitutional reasons to do so, but the repeated violations of his oath of office in upholding the laws of the land regarding immigration and border enforcement are undeniable and inexcusable. I have come to the place where I have to agree.

But what we see happening in the nation is happening only because the same exact thing is happening in the church. The church in America has been AWOL in its civil stewardship for decades. We have not taught our children (and still don’t) what it means to really be a Christian who loves the truth and stands in integrity and character, nor what it is to be a true American.

Obama is a mirror thrust into the face of the compromising church, the supposed “salt and light” of a compromising nation. Our political leaders (with very few exceptions) long ago sold their integrity. Our business leaders (with almost no exceptions) long ago sold their integrity. Our spiritual leaders (with some exceptions) long ago compromised their integrity; all of them for a buck or to please man – or both.

There are nationally and internationally known Christian leaders who are miss-representing the truth in social, cultural and civil issues and putting a “Christian” label on this deception. Locally, the Houston Area Pastors Council’s very public statement on immigration is the latest example of such self-serving compromise. I’m a member, and know a couple of the leaders. They should know better. Their statement consisted of

1. Secure the borders (which thankfully, they got right)

2. Comprehensive immigration reform (which is code for illegal alien amnesty, which is wrong and rewards lawlessness, which in turn is anti-Biblical in principle)

3. Treat current illegals “humanely” (which is, at best, an unfortunate word usage seeing as how we’re not water boarding them, driving screwdrivers under their fingernails, or being “inhumane” to begin with.)

Such religious posturing is weak, and contributes to the plague in the American Church at-large of re-creating God in our own image, in our own like-ness (our own imagination), i.e., what we want him to be like instead being Who He Is as revealed in the Bible. He is the God of Truth, Whose passion is order, desiring His Kingdom to be established on earth, that His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

The reality is that in our government and in our churches, Isaiah 59:14 is again true today: “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot enter.”

Both political sides are selling out the nation for a price of their own choosing and convenience. Supposedly “republican” business interests want excessively cheap labor, which is an immoral violation of James 5:4. An overt desire of liberal democrats is to gain new voters, even illegal ones if necessary, and that violates any sense of fair play or allegiance to the Constitution. To take people from another nation, override the legal process and grant them amnesty so as to arbitrarily gain new voters to further their own socialistic agenda is particularly twisted and hypocritical. It reminds me a lot in principle of the accusation Jesus brought against the Pharisees of “traveling the world to make converts and making them twice the son of hell you are.”

One political agenda (liberalism) is about the overt destruction of America. The countering political agenda (conservatism) is often compromising and spineless. On the whole, what passes as “spiritual” leadership is a man-pleasing compromise between the two political agendas, instead of adherence to the higher, overriding Biblical and Constitutional truth, proclaimed clearly, accurately applied, with authority, and without compromise. We urgently need to return to that higher standard!

Yes, soul-winning is our thrust, but we recognize also that God didn’t tell everyone to be an evangelist.  He said to do the work of an evangelist.  What is the work of an evangelist?  It’s to tell people about Jesus, lead them to Christ and to help build the church.  As believers, we have been commanded to take the Gospel to our neighborhood, city, nation and the world.

Who is going to do it?  I tell the men to do it!  Does this mean women aren’t called to win souls and minister to the lost?  Of course not!  God does not esteem one gender over another. (Genesis 2:24)

Women are well equipped for lifestyle evangelism because women are typically great at relationships.  It’s not an abundance of females in the Body of Christ that’s a problem today.  It’s the lack of male participation that has slowed us down!  From reports I’ve read over the years, the average church congregation is still 80% female and 20% male.  The harvest is plenteous, but the men are few!  “Adam, where art thou?”

Men Must Produce

A man’s creativity, productivity, and ability gives him worth, value, and a sense of dignity.  For that reason, unemployment is a devastating, soul-damaging condition, and one of the greatest stresses in a man’s life.  A man who can’t exercise his ability to be productive and earn money for his family tends to lose his sense of worth.

Have you ever wondered why crime is so high in low-income areas?  It’s not because people who live there have less morals or ethics.  It’s because unemployment tends to be as high as 25% to 30% in such areas, which is what makes them low income.

A man without a job or a means of maximizing his creativity or abilities will search for another outlet to express himself, often illegally.  The reason why a young man deals drugs on the street is because he finds fulfillment and value in his ability to earn money.  He also gets to use his creativity to avoid the law and that adds to his feeling of satisfaction.

We can’t just tell a man to quit dealing drugs and not give him a job.  Somehow, somewhere, he desires an outlet for his ability, creativity and productivity.  When a man walks down the street with a one hundred dollar bill in his pocket, he feels he has it made.  But a man without a penny to his name feels emasculated.  Men who are unemployed, whose wives become dependent on the welfare system, don’t even have the satisfaction of a healthy, respect-filled relationship.  Her source of provision becomes the government instead of her husband.

The Gospel Welfare System

We shudder when society’s unemployment rises into two digits.  But in the church, we settle for unemployment as high as 80% to 95%!

Spiritually unemployed people in the church experience the same loss of value as unemployed people in the world.  When 80% of the people are not doing the work of an evangelist, the majority of the congregation depends on the pastor, like a gospel welfare system.

In a gospel welfare system, the pastor becomes the source for all revelation and spiritual help.  I’m a minister, but I won’t deny that some ministers perpetuate dependency because they get a feeling of importance.  But ministers of the whole gospel teach the five-fold ministries out of Ephesians that equip the Body for the work of the ministry.

The Church depends on every member doing the work of an evangelist.  Church members must take responsibility for the move of God in the local church.  I learned this principle first from Dr. Cole’s book Strong Men in Tough Times, but I’ve witnessed it, experienced it, and preached it so much, it’s mine now!  It’s just so true.

Spiritually unemployed people are the most likely to become dissatisfied with the church and turn to illicit, ungodly, even illegal sources of pleasure.  The Church overall is struggling with a plague of immorality, due in large measure to the high spiritual unemployment rate.  Church members with little to do spend their time flirting with sin until they fall right into it.

A church full of spiritually employed members accomplishes the vision at a much faster pace, with a fraction of the need for counseling and crisis management.  By mobilizing men to do their share of the work, we work smarter, not harder.  We need members to move from the pew to the plow.  It starts by employing men.

This, again, is not to minimize the service of women.  No way!  Women are shouldering much of the load today because of the absence of men.  We need the head, the laborer, doing his part.  Men are to be setting the example for their family, and instead they are just sitting.  Men, let’s get off the bench and get in the game!

A great understanding of this is that men (Adam) were the first laborers put into the garden to till it or work the harvest!  God in His infinite wisdom took Eve out of Adam and made a statement—“The two shall become one.”  We are truly the “laborer” when we are unified and one together in the harvest.  The most efficient laborer in the harvest is the husband and wife as one working together.

At PowerHouse Church, our calling is to restore the man so he can restore, teach, and lead his family as Christ leads the church. I invite you to come and see the vision next Sunday @ 9am or 11am, or check out ManChurch on Wednesdays at 7:30pm. I also encourage you to check out www.dangerousgames.org as a resource to help men be who God has called them to be.

Before you take any of the following steps, it makes sense to talk to an expert who can help you see your whole financial picture. A financial planning professional can examine all your sources of income and expenses and find the most efficient ways to cut expenses, pay off debt and boost the money you have for saving and investing.

In the meantime, here are some ideas:

Start with nickels and dimes:

You can’t wish your way out of debt – it takes cash. And recovery literally can start with loose change. If you’ve never done a real budget, it’s time. That means tracking every cent of your spending either online (Mint.com is a free online website that offers some unique expense-tracking tools) or on paper. Once you see what’s left your wallet in the last month, start cutting non-essential spending like designer coffee, carryout and deluxe cable and start applying that extra cash to the highest-rate, non-deductible debt you have. Seeing everything you spend in black and white is the first step in changing your relationship with money for a lifetime.

Attack the highest-rate debt first:

In most households, this means attack the credit card balances. While February’s credit card reform law has given borrowers a slight boost by applying monthly payments to highest-rate balances within every credit card statement, it won’t matter much unless you begin paying more each month than the minimum balance. Zero in on your highest-rate cards first, pay more than the minimum and then work downward.

Refinance if you can:

Mortgage rates are still at historically low levels. You’ll need at least 10 percent equity in your home and a credit score exceeding at least 740 (out of 850) to qualify for the best rates, but negotiating with your current lender first is a great place to start. Be sure to inquire about the various government programs and how they pertain to your specific situation.

Make debt-fighting a family lesson:

When you’re talking to kids about budgeting and lowering your expenses, you have to walk a fine line between discipline and fear. But setting money priorities is part of growing up, and it’s essential to discuss and agree upon them as a family. Generally speaking, it helps to solicit the input from others as they feel involved in the decision making process.

Set some post-debt money goals:

Getting out of debt means you’ll be in for an extended period of frugality, and that might be a bit depressing. But as you battle your balances, make some time to really think about what you want to do with your life after the debt is gone. Having a debt-free lifestyle doesn’t stop at having zero balances (though that might call for a celebration!). Being debt-free is the gateway to better money management that will help you reach your dreams. A financial planner can get the conversation started on what those dreams and aspirations are and what permanent savings, spending and investment philosophies will be necessary to achieve them.

Shop differently:

The retail explosion of the last generation – and its implosion of the last 2-3 years – have revealed to a wider audience what money-smart people have always known. Happiness is not measured in what you wear, what you drive, or even where you live. If there is a cheaper solution to find both necessities and luxuries, adopt it. If used or wholesale options are available for food, clothing, housewares or services, why pay retail? Internet retailers, price-comparison shopping sites and online coupon sources are popular for a reason – they almost always offer lower-cost paths to savings. Use them and compare. Here’s another suggestion – keep a centralized shopping list on a big sheet of paper that lets you see all the spending you feel you have to do, and then try to handle it during one organized trip. Seeing everything in front of you will make it easier to prioritize what you really need and what you don’t.

Do-it-yourself or barter repairs and services:

The do-it-yourself movement is in a new phase with the downturn. For any home or auto maintenance chores you may have during the year, learn as much as you can about those tasks and estimate the cost of materials and your time before doing them yourself.  Previous generations made do-it-yourself a necessity. See if that option is right for you and you might save considerable money doing it. Also, for more complicated jobs, partner with friends and family and you can help each other save money.

Rebid your home and life insurance:

Most everyone knows that bundling home and auto insurance with one carrier saves money. Increase your deductibles if you can afford to. But ask your agent specifically about changes in behavior that can save you money. See what taking mass transit most of the week can do for your insurance rates. See if you can benefit from age-related discounts. And check whether it might be worth beefing up your home security or adding more protection against weather-related disasters (storm shutters, shatter-proof glass, etc.) or upgrades to appliances, plumbing or electrical systems. Lastly, be tax-smart about improvements – EnergyStar.gov lists rebates and other breaks for upgrades around your home.

Go debit:

Debit cards wearing a bankcard logo are typically welcome at most stores where credit cards are accepted. This way, you pay cash without carrying cash. If you don’t have such a card, you can probably get one from your bank to replace your traditional ATM card, but remember to tell them to limit your buying power on the card to only what you have in your account. And use overdraft protection to avoid fees.

Mann Eye Institute and Laser Center’s new location in Katy will expand eye care services by adding the subspecialties of retina and plastics to the ophthalmic and optometric medical specialty and routine care services currently provided to meet the vision needs of all family members, in Katy and surrounding communities. Drs. Mike and Paul Mann, Dr. Gus Stern, Dr. Gerald Sheldon, Dr. Matt Morello and Dr. Victoria Chin will be supported by our highly trained team of technicians and state-of-the-art testing equipment now available for the convenience of our patients.

The “Green” Westgreen Medical Complex was built according to the internationally recognized LEED certification system based on the metrics that matter most to the future of our community – energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, and improved indoor environmental quality. It is one of only a few buildings in the Katy area built to these specifications with materials purchased from local businesses whenever possible.

“We have always been committed to providing our patients with the very best in eye care and we look forward to seeing our patients in an environment that benefits us all, says Dr. Mann.”

Mann Eye Institute and Laser Center was recently honored in Forbes magazine as one of the most dependable eye care practices in the country based on expertise, experience, technology and patient satisfaction…for the second year in a row!

For three days in a row, Katy shoppers can take advantage of tax-free shopping on clothing, backpacks and school supplies. August 20-22 are the magic dates, and a wealth of information awaits at window.state.tx.us. Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, provides a Window on State Government web page  filled with information Texas shoppers need to get a break from state and local sales taxes during the state’s annual tax holiday. Lay-away plans can be used again this year to take advantage of the sales tax holiday. In addition, watch for fliers and coupons. Walmart has incredible bargains on back-to-school supplies. Everything from glue sticks to lined paper to folders can be purchased for pennies on the dollar if you hit one of their sales. Target, Walgreens and CVS also have sales on supplies that can save you money. Cruising Katy Stores and Malls

The malls in Katy, such as La Centerra, Villagio, and Katy Mills, will also be offering incentives. Be sure and check their websites at lacenterra.com, villagiotowncenter.com, and katymills.com for sales and store savings. In this economy, retailers understand that shoppers will be pinching pennies and spending wisely.

There are other retailers like Office Max, and Best Buy who will also be circulating sales and publicizing dates. It is wise to make a list to cover all the bases and avoid impulse purchases.  Check with www.katyisd.org for mandatory school supplies and work from there.  Add clothing and shoe needs, along with locker organizers and decorations. Backpacks and lunch boxes are needed. Furniture stores may also jump on the band wagon, so check local papers for information on desks and office chairs. Students need a place to concentrate. They also need posture and back support to handle many hours of homework.  Be Alert . . And Say a Prayer!

Going forward, keep your eyes and ears open for sales dates and savings opportunities. It is possible to keep your kiddos in gear and supplies without breaking the bank. Teach them good stewardship and money management by paying attention to the bottom line.  And, as a Katy Christian Magazine reader suggested, you might send them out the door every day with this prayer from Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” What better way is there to start the morning . . . or the school year?

Enjoy this busy time of transition and save money!  Do you have other money saving ideas?  We invite you to share them on our Facebook page at facebook.com/katychristianmagazine!