What am I teaching my children?

I recently ran into a friend- a fellow couponer- and she and I were chatting about various things and my kids started chiming in about Wheezer (my trusty coupon binder) and my obsessiveness with coupons.  And she, very innocently, said "My, what are we teaching our children?".

And for a moment I felt embarrassed.

And then I didn't.

What am I teaching my children?  Stretch what you've got.  God is going to bless you with many things in your life, don't take them for granted.  When it comes to monitary blessings, try and make them go as far as you can.  Coupons give me the ability to save lots of money.  They also help me to provide for our family.  I feel a very real relief now that I 'coupon' and have a small 'stockpile' of items.  If something were to happen and we had a time of no money.......God has already provided lots of items in our home that we can live off of. 

I don't hoard, I don't clean off shelves, I don't buy what we (or someone we know) can't use.  It is a blessing to our home.  And the kids are getting fully used to not begging for a particular product while we shop.  They even will phrase it as 'something they would like to try' knowing that I will then watch for coupons and sales so that we can do just that.  Sam even will flip through my coupons before asking for a product to see if we have one for whatever it is he is hoping to get (typically fruit snacks or yogurt).

And as we carried in two huge grocery sacks full of items into church yesterday for the food bank, I knew in my heart that what I am teaching my children is simple.  Save where you can, you can always stretch your money and be generous with what you have.

It's that simple.