Reflections on Samhain

Today is Samhain (pronounced sow-in), celebrated by the ancient Celts and modern Pagans as the end of the cycle, the New Year, the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.  Those of us in the northeastern United States have already had our first taste of winter, bringing the reality of the darker half of the year even closer.  Here I will tell you what Samhain means to me.

From a religious standpoint, Samhain represents the truth of the seasons.  Seasons change, cycles go round and round.  The fields have been harvested and the food is preserved to preserve us through the harsh months to come.  The Lord, our God by whatever name has succumbed to the darkness and now journeys to the netherworlds.  This is a time to mourn, but also in a unique way, a time of hope.  Because we know that the land mourns for Her Lover the God as is evident in the cold bleakness of winter, we also know that the light will return again.  The Lord journeys but he does not go down to die forever.  At Yule, he will be reborn and the land will again grow and warm and we will return to the lighter half of the year.  I mourn the God more this year than i did the previous year.  I came to know Him more this year than I had ever known him before.  So I mourn Him, but His words give me comfort, he reminds me that He will be back and this ugly snow will not last forever.  Yes I hate the snow!

From a ritualistic point of view, the basis of Samhain also teaches us to remember those who have gone to die before us: our ancestors.  I have studied my ancestors from different branches of my family for the past 10 years.  From the Vikings of Scandinavia, to the Normans who invaded England, to the Scotman who faced exile, to the French, I have many roots.  And I yearn to know more about them every year.  And every year yields new findings and new mysteries to solve.  This is my history nerd side.  I love a good historical mystery, especially when it involves my own ancestors.

From the perspective of the last year, we lost two family members in the last year.  My brother passed away on Nov. 8, 2010.  I am still reeling from it and I have opinions regarding it that I dare not speak to anyone.  Lets just say that his crimes were unforgivable and I fully believe that he is not in a good place.  My aunt also passed away the week of Yule/Christmas 2010.  Her death was expected and I mourned for her fairly quickly, at least I feel that way.  It was something we knew was going to happen eventually, her health was already failing.  I suppose the shock of my brother's unexpected suicide the month before somehow lessened the blow of my aunt's passing.  The saddest part of that was that she left behind a teenage daughter who had just given birth to her own child and was now alone.  That was the greatest tragedy surrounding my aunts passing.

So as I prepare for the New Year in my home, I am going to remember each and every one of my ancestors, recent and distant, and thank them for their contributions to my life.  But I am also going to clear my house of unwanted feelings and negativity. 

Blessed Samhain everyone!  Good Journey my Lord!
May your New Year be filled with love, compassion, and grace.

"Fear is usually a sign that you are on the right track." - Michelle L. Casto

Prayer

In my long journey as a spiritual person, one thing has remained a constant.  Prayer.  No matter who you pray to, as long as the intent is there and you are praying with sincerity and humility, the outcome is the same.  It brings peace and reassurance.  I have often prayed casually; 'please let it rain'.  I have prayed with so many tears in my eyes; 'please let her passing be eased'.  I do not feel like any less of a person by getting on my knees and beseeching my deity or deities.  I still feel like the strong person everyone tells me that I am.  I feel even stronger because I am admitting that I am just a speck in a wide universe and the beings who have existed since before time have the wisdom and courage I need to proceed with my life. 

I have also encountered deities who prefer that I converse with them in simple conversation instead of prayer, on my feet instead of on my knees.  Okay, I can do both.  When I speak with Thor, he doesn't mind either way.  He prefers that I speak on my feet, however, he understands that the human condition is weak at times and is content to comfort me when I am on the floor with no strength left.  He has been called Good Friend throughout the centuries and the title is not misguided.  He really is a Good Friend, and when my worldly friends have been far away, he was my Friend. 

It is the time of the year when the Pagans mark the weakening and passing of our Lord.  He has worked tirelessly to fertilize the Earth and give us the things we need to make it through another long winter.  Now His work is done, the harvest is coming in, and He lays down for His rest.  At Samhain we will mark His passing.  But this is not the end.  He has merely gone to seek more knowledge to share with His children, like Odin who departed our world to seek knowledge and made himself a sacrifice upon Yggdrasil and then shared that knowledge with the people of Earth.  As He journeys, His children will seek him, and He will return to use with Yule, the warmth will gradually return to Earth as He is reborn and shares His warmth again.

I own a book called "Books of Hours.  Prayers to the God." By Galen Gillotte.  It is a great book, even for Christians who only pray to the male aspect of the Divine.  I use it frequently during the Autumn and Winter.  These are the times of the year when I feel very close with God.  He brings comfort, when everything looks bleak and cold and hopeless, He will return and bring light and warmth.  It is a cycle and its a certain hope.  To me, the hope of an end to a harsh winter is more real and tangible than living a long life and hoping for the best on the other side.  My view is much more simple.  I will go to a better place when I die, all I have to do is live honestly and honorably, without harming others.  My household follows the Nine Noble Virtues and those are the only guidelines we need. 


The definition of prayer as given in Book of Hours:  "Prayer, at its deepest core, is the passionate expression of love for God.  It may take the form of formal prayer, such as those prayers offered in this book, or may be wordless and incomprehensible cry of the heart.  It matters not, for God reads the intention of the soul even before it is articulated.  He reaches out to answer our need in tender yearning and, if we are open to it, we may fall into His rapture, which is beyond all words, and even beyond all thought."

Before I Was a Mom

It seems that 9 out of every 10 women in my life are pregnant.  It makes me remember all of the joys a new life can bring, as well as the challenges.  It also makes me miss my reproductive days.  I am not old, but I have the inability to create new life.  I do have two amazing daughters who I love more and more every day, so I give thanks for that.  Before my first daughter was born, I found this poem and I didn't fully understand then just how to true it was.  I used the poem as a favor at my baby shower.  I have included the poem below in italics and between each line, I have added my thoughts.
 
                                                    Before I Was A Mom


Before I was a Mom I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.
 
Well, I sleep a little later now that the girls are aged 7 and 5 years.  If I sleep a little bit later than normal, they make a bowl of cereal for breakfast.  But I still cannot manage to sleep later than 7:30 am every morning.   I do stay up later at night than I used to, but 11 seems to be the latest.

I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday. 


Yes, this is one that never changed.  I brush my teeth compulsively, twice a day.  Now sometimes my hair doesn't get the same treatment, but I have mastered the art of the ponytail.

Before I was a Mom I cleaned my house each day. 



This one is also true.  I didn't realize how clean my house could actually be until both children began full-day school.  My house was always health-inspection clean, but it was disorganized and there were things lying everywhere!  But, the first week of school I enjoyed a quiet I haven't experienced in many years.  And my house became so clean, but the greatest part was that it actually stayed clean all week!  Until the weekend...

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. 


I still trip over toys, skates, shoes, backpacks, you name it.  I still don't know all the words to some lullabies, although luckily my children were more than content with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.


I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. 



I wish I had the house that had plants everywhere, but I cannot seem to keep them alive.  It doesn't help that the entire first floor of my house has only three windows, one in the laundry room and the other two face the street.

I never thought about immunizations. 


I don't know who this hurts the most, me or the kids.  I hate watching them get the shots, but I have endured because I would rather a few hours of irritation than months of a horrible disease.

Before I was a Mom I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Spit on. Chewed on. Peed on. 


Its amazing how strong you become after enduring that.  I could probably watch open heart surgery now!  And what is with the burp clothes that they sell nowadays??  They are far too small to catch everything! 

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.....
I slept all night. 


Oh, I have control of my mind and thoughts, although somewhat scattered.  And I haven't slept all night in years.  Its that compulsive mother in me.

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests. Or give shots.

This ties in with the immunizations.  And the dentist visits.  Its horrible but necessary.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
 
Seeing a baby cry is one of the saddest things, but I know I have to power to ease their suffering.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
 
I get the giggles when my children say or do something funny.  And when they were babies, I took great joy in every little thing they did.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

I still do that, day or night.  A sleeping child is the epitome of peace and beauty.

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
 
I wish I had never sat my sleeping babies down.  They grew up too fast and I miss the feel of a little life in my arms.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
 
Not being able to stop their suffering makes you feel helpless and useless.  Its a horrible feeling.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
 
Its amazing how much your life changes after you have a child, and after they are a little older, you forget what life was like before they came along.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.


You don't think you could love one person (or more) so much, but its amazingly possible.

Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.



I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.


Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mother, you still get the amazing feeling of feeding a small innocent child.  Its a small miracle that never ceases to amaze.  The bond between a mother and child is an unbreakable bond.

Before I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom. 

I have to constantly remind myself that being a mother is a noble profession.  It doesn't offer great pay, benefits, insurance, sick pay, or vacations.  But the education a mother gives to her children determines the next generation, and that generation can be successful and productive if given the right upbringing.  Otherwise, the next generation will stagnate and be nothing.

Addendum to Previous Post

As I like to hear both sides of the story, I would like to let you know that there is a Swiss-made documentary called Without My Daughter, which is all about Moody and his side of the story.  Moody died on August 22, 2009 without ever having seen his daughter again. 

Before anyone judges another human being, they should remember the very wise words of Jesus Christ.
"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."

Whether you belong to one of the Abrahamic religions who hold Jesus as a prophet or not, his wisdom was meant to bring peace to the world, not war or division in his name.

In the Name of Hate, Dramatic License Gone Too Far

When September 11 happened, it was supposed to symbolize a uniting of this country and its people under the flag of the United States.  Instead, it became a turning point in the collective hate of this nation.  Its been a long time coming, but 9/11 was the catalyst and I don't understand why.  Blaming the actions of 20 Muslims on all 1.97 billion Muslims in the world is like blaming the actions of 100 members of the Westboro Baptist Church on all of Christendom.  Its illogical, unethical, and UN-AMERICAN.  We are supposed to be the United States of America.  I do not see anything united in this country except lines on a map.

I could write a book on the recent rise of Islamophobia, but I thought I would start small and give an examination of a movie I first saw last year and comparing it to facts and the book that preceded the movie.  The movie is called 'Not Without My Daughter', starring Sally Field and Alfred Molina.  It was based on a book of non-fiction written by Betty Mahmoody, the protagonist and William Hoffer, who is known as a writer of crime dramas and biographies.  Now, I will begin with an overview of the movie and how dramatic license censured the details that can be found in the book.

Sally Field plays Betty Mahmoody, an American woman who mets and falls in love with Iranian-born Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody, or Moody for short.  He has lived in America for 20 years and works as a doctor.  Together they have a child, Mahtob.  A little bit of trivia for you, Mahtob is the Farsi word for moonlight.  Basing on the events of the Iranian revolution of 1979, Moody comes under pressure from both sides of his life, the family in Iran and the people of his hometown in Michigan.  The pressure eventually becomes too much, he finally caves to his families wishes and convinces his wife Betty that they should go for a 2 week visit to Iran.  When in Iran, we meet Ameh Bozorg (which is basically a title meaning Dear Aunt), Moody's sister and many members of the extended family.  From the beginning, they all hate Betty because she is an American.  We see Ameh Bozorg and her husband and Moodys other relatives always yelling at her and making her life miserable.  Long story short, the whole movie is full of cliches, stereotypes, and Betty's desperate attempt to leave Iran.  She eventually does with the help of some American sympathizer, Iranians who fund and aid in Betty and Mahtob's escape back to the USA.  One of the things that surprises me the most is that in the movie, it looks so easy to escape across the desert of Iran and into Turkey and she just walks up to the embassy and cut to credits.  She could not have escaped the way she said because that time of year is like winter anywhere.  There was snow all over the mountains.  This is a detail that she talks about in this book but is nowhere portrayed in the movie.  Did she make the story up to gain compassion or publicity?  Who knows, nobody will ever know the truth.

Now onto the little details that were conveniently left out.
In the book, there is a lot of background material concerning how Betty and Moody met and the life they led prior to going to Iran.  Whether or not Moody was right in his decision to go to Iran, there were signs for many years prior to their feigned vacation that Moody was becoming fanatical.  He hosted meetings in his house for the local pro-Iran extremist groups for the local college.  Betty knew that he was considering going to Iran, and even actively planned the trip.  Upon arriving in Iran, most of what is seen in the movie is true.  However, there are lots of exaggerations.  One of the persons from the film, an American-born friend of Betty's who lived in Iran, Ellen, is portrayed as a betrayer of Betty's trust.  In a later interview after Betty's return to the states, Ellen denies her portrayal as a two-faced woman.  Another fact you learn from reading the book is that Moody's family in Iran were not as bad with Betty as they were portrayed in the film.  Nasserine, who in the film is portrayed as friendly and sympathetic is actually one of the worst persons to Betty.  Another character oft vilified in the movie is Ameh Bozorg, but she is in fact one of the persons who began seeing Moody's descent into madness and keeping him away from Betty when he has a temper.  She also stalls Moody while Betty escapes.

This movie plays on all of the typical stereotypes of Islam and of Iran.  Nobody is perfect, but it is very UN-AMERICAN to vilify anyone or judge them on the basis of what they see in the media.

But it seems that hatred and ignorance have become common place, despite the fact that this is the 21st century.  There is NO excuse for ignorance.  You have books, internet, smart phones, and plenty of innocent people who are willing to share their knowledge with you.  Don't close yourselves off and give in to hate.  Nobody gains anything from it.  Muslims died in 9-11 too, and I don't mean the terrorists.

Oh, and one last rant.  All of this controversy over the Ground Zero mosque and the one in Tennessee is rubbish.  If people would actually read the articles instead of the headlines, they would know that there is no plan to build a mosque at Ground Zero or in Tennessee.  There are already mosques in those two locations.  The mosque at Ground Zero was housed in a small space that had been in the same location for many years before 9/11 and was also damaged during the terrorist attacks.  Plans to expand it were underway since 2009 and didn't make national headlines in 2010, only to be used as fuel for the anti-Muslim Right.  The plan at Ground Zero is the same as the plan in Tennessee, to build a multi-use center akin to the Christian YMCA, a space that can be used for meetings, classes, children's activities and day care and will have a worship space as well.  The Muslim community in Tennessee has been there since 1997 and has always been welcomed and treated as equal.  With more than 200 Muslim families in that community, many were praying on the sidewalks because they have ran out of space in their mosque.  So they bought some land and planned a similar project that would house classrooms, a gymnasium, and a prayer space.  No minarets, no prayer calls at dawn, just a normal looking building.  Instead of support, they have received death threats and even arson committed on the site of the new building.  Is this what the Christian right want in this country?

This is all that hate can bring.

The Wheel Turns

Has it really been almost 2 months since I last posted?  Shame on me!

In the last two weeks, my region of the United States has been experiencing some pretty funky phenomenon.  First, we had an earthquake.  Who woulda thought that the east coast could have earthquakes?  Well they do, but they are usually so small that nobody notices them.  This one, however was a 5.9.  It was enough to scare the bejeezus out of the locals and prompt 'its God's retribution' rhetoric from certain political figures.  That really bothers me!  Michelle Bachmann said that the earthquake and later the hurricane were God's way of punishing America for its tolerance of a black president and its liberal ways.  Really?  First, you know the mind of God?  Yeah right.  Second, you are saying that God decided to kill innocent people to get your political message across?  Yikes! 

Now, about that hurricane.  Irene made three landfalls along the east coast.  It was a monster of a storm, spanning 500 miles across at its fullest, and striking my home city of Lancaster, Pa which is a full hour and a half west of the coast.  It wasn't too much damage, just some wind, rain, and 4 hours without electricity.  But I learned long ago how to live without electricity.  Its not hard, it just takes a special kind of discipline that few in this capitalist country of ours lack.  And you do know what I did?  ...

I thanked the hurricane.

Yes, you heard that right, I gave thanks for the hurricane.  Not for the people who lost their lives or the properties that were destroyed.  I thanked the hurricane for the simple miracle of fresh air.  It washed away the pollution in the air and dropped our temperatures back to a seasonal level.  The air smelled so fresh the day after the hurricane, the streets were clean of all trash, and our temperatures were so comfortable, we have since retired our air conditioners and now sleep with the windows open.  That to me is a simple miracle.  And its in those little miracles that I find my faith.  The title of this post is The Wheel Turns.  The Great Wheel of the Year is turning once again and thanks to the cooler temperatures, I can remember that the wheel turns and will always turn.

Fall is upon us, and it brings with it all of the wonderful things I love so much about this crisp time of year.  Apple picking, pumpkins, leaves, cool air, cinnamon, baking, need I go on?  Its an amazing time of year!  And the stores now carry all of the things I need to make my house inviting and smelly.  Did I say smelly?  Haha!  I meant smelly in a good way, like pumpkin-scented potpourri and freshly made applesauce and apple butter.  Yes, this is my favorite time of year.  I give thanks for it! 

I can begin my preparations for the long months of cold that await.  I can fill my soul with simple joys now so that I can find the strength to endure the hardship of winter.  September is a crafty month for me.  I begin crafting my wreath for the fall months, I begin brainstorming and buying supplies for the homemade Christmas gifts I will make, I will pick apples at the local orchard to prepare yummy treats for my family.  In October, Halloween comes! :D  I love Halloween for many reasons.  I love to dress up and take my children trick or treating and I love to decorate with combwebs and skeletons and spiders.  Then there is the other side of Halloween.  Samhain (sow-en) is the end of the Pagan year.  Its a time when our Lord leaves this world to begin his journey on the other side.  This is marked by the dying of the trees and the colder air.  As He leaves the world, so does the light and warmth.  Its a reminder that all good things must come to an end.  But never fear!  He will be reborn at Yule and light and warmth will return to the world.  Yule was once widely celebrated and today bears a modern name, but it celebrates the exact same thing, the rebirth of Light and Warmth in the world.  Today, it is called Christmas.

So to you, I give my blessings and love and I hope you have as much fun this time of year as I do!

Happy crafting!

No Justice for the Children in America

In January 1996, a little girl was doing what other little girls have done safely for a long time. She was riding her bike through her own neighborhood with her little brother.  This little girl attended C.B. Berry Elementary school.  She was in 3rd grade.  I, coincidentally, attended C.B. Berry Elementary also.  I was in 6th grade, a student mentor who worked with younger grades helping them with homework and passing out balloons and pencils on their birthdays.  So in November 1995, on this little girl's 9th birthday, I delivered her birthday gifts.  I am sad when I remember this.  I am sad because that little girl's name was Amber Renee Hagerman and that was her last birthday.  As she rode her bike, a man in a white truck approached her and pulled her into his truck and she was never seen alive again.  A few days later, she was found lying face down in a local creek.  From that moment, children were no longer safe.  Children cannot ride their bikes unsupervised anymore, they cannot walk to school safely anymore.  Childhood died collectively for America. 

This event shocked America.  But even more shocking is that no one has ever been brought to justice for her murder.  It has been 15 years and there is no justice.  The only good that came out of all this was the creation of the Amber Alert, through combined efforts from law enforcement and Amber's mother Donna. 

Now its 2011.  Are the children safer?  No.  I wish I could say yes, but that is sadly not the case.  And today, America became an even scarier place.

Casey Anthony stood trial for the death of her 2 year old daughter, Caylee.  Casey waited 30 days before reporting her daughter missing.  There was a stain in the trunk of her car that turned out to be that of a decomposing body.  She was searching for 'chloroform' and 'neck breaking' on the internet.  Despite the overwhelming evidence presented in the long trial, Casey was found not guilty by a jury.  Not guilty?

This jury has opened the door for many parents who abuse their children or plan to kill them.  It is now easy to cause them harm and get away with it. 

I want to offer up a prayer to the highest deity who is listening.  Please save our children!  This country's so-called justice system fails them on every horrible level.  Abusers and pedophiles walk free everyday.  Please save them!

Rest in Peace Caylee Anthony, Divine Justice will prevail and there is a special place in Oblivion for the one who hurt you.

Communal Living

A few days ago, Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods traveled to Suriname.  Suriname is a country in the northern South American continent.  There, he stayed with a group of people who rely completely on the Amazon rainforest and local rivers for their livelihoods.  I admire groups like this.  They have avoided colonization and modernization in favor of a more simple way of living.  They all live and work together for the greater good of the group.  The women share cooking space and the men hunt and fish to provide all the food the group needs.  This idea of communal living fascinates me. 

I have always hated the way society in the West lives.  Material wealth and technology are more important than neighborly relations and gratitude.  After all, if we can go to the grocery store and buy a bushel of corn, we think that we do not owe gratitude to the Mother for providing it. 

Where I live, neighbors actually fear each other.  I always dreamt of moving into a neighborhood where a welcoming committee would visit your house and bring baskets of food, and I could do the same for new people who move into my neighborhood.  That is no longer the case.  I couldn't even tell you the names of my closest neighbor.  The only thing I know about them is that they are not very nice, are abusive to their children and keep their music up loud all night.  And that is the case with most of the people who live in my neighborhood.

I want to live in a commune.  First thing in the morning, I can walk outside and give thanks for a new day and the beauty all around me.  Then I can greet my neighbors, who are no doubt already out and about working in the commune, whether it be maintenance or cooking or working in the community garden.  I want to spend the entire day doing my chores along side people who can provide stimulating conversation and social interaction.  I want to prepare meals with them.  I have always been better at preparing large meals than just a few smaller meals anyway.

The closest thing to a commune around here are the Amish.  And I love driving through their farmland, which borders the town I live in.  I love to see them outside working together as a family.  I especially love going out to their towns and buying their produce and eating their ice cream.  They have it figured out.  Why can't the rest of us seem to?

I think, if it wasn't for the philosophical and religious differences, I wouldn't mind joining an Amish ordnung.  At least life wouldn't be so complicated.

Cue the Lynch Mobs

Quick, someone call CPS.  I did a horrible thing last night!
I let my child watch an R-rated movie!

Okay, so not so dramatic, but that is the reaction some parents these days might take.  I understand that there are certain things that children shouldn't see before a certain age, but that mentality was more acceptable in the early 90s.  Now, there isn't much you can hide from children.  They are not stupid and they notice a lot more than they lead on.  And besides, even watching any regular TV exposes them to the harsh reality of life in the 21st century.  If you shield them completely from these things, they will grow up helpless and vulnerable.

Let me make it clear that, despite the things I allow my children to watch, I draw the line in certain scenarios.  I will not let them watch movies with sex in it, and I am choosy when it comes to movies with violence.  The movie they watched last night was full of violence, but it wasn't zombies-eating-my-brain violent.  It wasn't cadavers being ripped apart or guts flying everywhere.

The movie was Terminator 2: Judgement Day.  I believe I was about my oldest daughter's age when I first saw the movie and I didn't grow up to be a crazy psycho killer.  It just happened to be on TV and I let my 7 year old daughter and her 4 year old sister sit with me and watch it.  It had an interesting effect.  Like most children their age, they provided commentary all the way through the movie.  Asking questions allowed me to give explanations for some of what they were seeing and to help them understand that it was only a movie and not real life.  I also got to see them making commentary stating that "the bad cop is doing very mean things" and "thats not nice" and "thats so sad".  My kids have compassion and common sense and for that I am grateful.  Some movies like this provide a very good lesson:  There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.  If you don't want bad things to happen, you have to work to prevent them.

We all know the outcome of the Terminator movies, but they haven't seen the third one.  I think that one is still a little too high on the violence scale for them, and I don't want to have to explain to them what a nuclear holocaust is.  I'm not out to scare them about the world, I want them to understand that the world is a cruel place, but you do not have to be cruel to live and survive in it.

My Near Extreme Couponing Moment

Okay, I'll admit that I watch Extreme Couponing and drool.  I wish I could spend $500 and only pay $5, but hey.  Whatever I can save works.  I don't dumpster dive for my coupons.  My approach is that couponing is all about timing.  Collect any coupons you find, even if you don't need them right away.  Keep an eye on your stores ads because they are the key.  My store runs a lot of specials on a weekly basis, like 10/$10 and BOGO.  The best part of the 10/$10 specials is that you do not necessarily need to buy 10.  You could buy 2 and they will still be $1 each.  So I used my stores specials and coupons and I beat my all-time savings record.  I want to share it with you, I am so proud of myself!  I have picked out some of my best finds.  I will post commentary where relevant, but everything I bought was on special and/or had a coupon.

Sierra Mist 20 oz. 1.49 retail, was 1.00
Suddenly Salad various types 2.19 retail, were 1.00, bought 6
Folgers, had a coupon for 1.00 of two items
Nestle Candy Bars .79 retail, bought 4, had coupons for 50 cents off two, coupons double; retail value: 3.16, price I paid: 1.16
Knorr Rice Sides, retail 1.33, were 1.00 each, bought 8
Pancake Mix, retail 2.69, were 2.00
McCormick Seasonings, retail 1.12, were 1.00 each, bought 4
Wacky Mac pasta, retail 1.35, had a 40 cents off coupon, paid .95 cents
Ace of Diamond tuna, retail 1.49 each, were on sale for 10/$10, bought 8; store had a special that if I bought 8 of a certain item from a certain list, I would save $3, so I paid $5 for 8 cans
Store brand croutons were 10/$10
Store brand pasta was 10/$10
Sausage links and patties were 10/$10
Chicken leg quarters were on sale, and I paid between $2-3 for each package of about 5-6 lbs. each
Another cool sale was the Mrs. T's Pierogies, I had a coupon for $1 off and I bought 3 boxes.  My store had a sale that went with it, giving me a box of ice cream sandwiches (12 ct.) free when I bought three boxes of Mrs. T's.
Another special they had, that I also carried coupons for was buy 8 of a particular group of items and save $5.  So off of their list, I bought 6 different types of Dannon Danimals yogurts (6 ct.) and a tub of Country Crock butter.  They were both on sale, the Dannon at 2/$4 and the butter for 2.99 so I ended up paying $8.59 for all after the special and two coupons.
5 of the coupons I used doubled.  My store doubles up to .50 cents on coupons.

Grand total retail price of my trip:  $233.57
TOTAL I PAID:  $160.78
68% savings, or $72.79

My record was $52 off a purchase of $230

I love saving money!

On top of that savings, I also earned 40 cents of a gallon of gas. :D