Money Monday: Making sacrafices for a better tomorrow.

America today is a very materialistic nation. We are used to getting what we want and when we want it, which is usually now. We are not used to having to wait for anything. We have lost the experience of delayed gratification. And this is a very sad notion.

I myself am guilty of not wanting to wait. Which usually meant using my credit card to get what I wanted. And while it meant I had for the current time something new!, it also meant I had some debt that would need to be paid off. I never went excessive with my purchases but still, none the less, I charging things like clothes, or house décor. Definitely not "emergency" items. Gasoline, food, medication, or a car part, those should be the only reason I break out a credit card, and that actually is the rule I follow now.

The sad thing is, my husband paid off my credit cards earlier this year. Now the purchases we have incurred since then were not frivolous splurges. Far from it. One was my daughter's medical bill when she had a bacterial infection and our insurance had not kicked in yet. Another was two new tires on my husband car - the old ones were about to pop! We would have preferred to pay cash for both of these items, but we keep having "Life" moments. Did you ever play that game? I did all the time as a child with my siblings and parents. I love the older version, seems more legit to me than the modern one. If only I realized how often "Life" really does happen when you get older.

Here are our "LIFE" moments so far for 2013:

• Husband lost his life insurance and health insurance at work
• Husband's clients have been cutting back their splurge spending which means less income for him.
• New health insurance did not kick in in time for my daughter's sickness
• Car needed 2 new tires
• Car needed a new battery
• Other car needed new radiator hose (same day as battery!)
• I possibly have something wrong with my kidney's

Life has thrown a few curve balls at us this year. We are living pay check to pay check. We are paying our bills. But that is about all we are doing. There are no vacations for us this year. No fun trips for camping or to see family. I have a wedding in November to attend, it will be the first time my best friend will see my daughter. I am planning now financially for it so that I can go. That means going without certain luxuries the next few months in order to create a great memory. Also with all that is going on, the upgrades to our house have to wait: new floors, new kitchen, fixing up the back yard, finish the front yard.

I have been having a hard time with all of this lately. I never wanted to be in the position we are in. My parent's lived this way when I was growing up and I hated it. I hated their frustrations, how they bickered with each other, and the tension it created. I never wanted this for my child, for my marriage, for my household.

But this is temporary. I have changed my outlook on the situation. We are doing what we have to do in order to survive. We are taking side jobs: training, cooking, cleaning, mowing yards. We are still giving to the church, and to others. We are still fellowshipping in our home and loving our fellow believers. We have made sacrifices:

• I am not the full time stay at home mom I want to be
• We no longer have cable tv
• We sold our suv, and my parents gave us their car, which was formerly my grandmothers car. Decent gas mileage, needs front end work, but it works and we don't have a car payment or insurance since my parents put me on their policy.
• We do not eat name brand often or eat out often. I shop at a great discount grocer that thankfully has kept things "no frills" in order to keep prices down.
• I no longer get my hair colored, or my nails done or my eyebrows waxed. Everything is done at home, and at a heavy discount.
• I do not see myself buying any new clothes or shoes anytime soon. I am learning to be creative with what I have and creating new looks.

This is not a pity party, far from it. We are blessed even with the hard times we are having. Our daughter is healthy, we are able to work, and my husband's business has been improving. We are still a few months out from seeing the effects of the new business and changes, but we possibly have  a light at the end of the tunnel.

Also with all that tis going on, our priorities of what is important has shifted. We are spending more time together. More time talking, playing and laughing. We are throwing away junk and finding better uses for items. We are clearing out the clutter and finding ways to live a simpler life.

I do miss the tv, especially a summer show I cannot seem to watch online. But I am reading for pleasure and for study more now. I am reading to my daughter more now.





So yes we have made sacrifices, and life is not as we had planned. But we are trusting Him, we are being obedient to Him, and His plan is always better. We just need to hang in there while our wonderful Abba works out the wrinkles in our lives.

Independence Day 2013

Have a great day with  your family. Remember those who fought to create and establish this great land.

 

Happy Independence Day!

http://images.paraorkut.com/img/wallpapers/1024x768/i/independence_day-9117.jpg

Money Monday: Tithing

Let's dish on tithing.

Our Pastor every Sunday says a prayer before the plate(s) is passed around. And a few times a year he even puts it out there, that if you tithe for a year and are not better off, he will personally write you a check the amount you tithed. I am not sure if he has ever had to write a check.

My husband and I did attend a church for a year or so that did not pass the plate. They had offering boxes outside the two main doors into the sanctuary. I think I prefer this method. Sometimes it feels like you are being judged if you do not put something in the plate.

Here is what I find the Bible says on tithing:

2 Corinthians 9:7
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
       

Proverbs 11:24   

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want

Proverbs 3:9         
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

Just search "What does the Bible say about tithing?" and you will find numerous results.

Personally, I believe in tithing. The years that I have done it, I have made it. Barely at times, but I have made it none the less. There were times it felt like I would not have anything left for groceries if I tithed, but I went ahead and gave. And I never once starved.

There was a brief period between then and now that I did not tithe. I was greedy, and I spent, spent, spent my heart out. And had nothing left. But as soon as I started tithing again, things started working back out. God want's us to give to Him, and do so cheerfully. It is not easy, things worth doing usually aren't. But the blessings we recieve out of our obedience are priceless.

Ten perecent. It really is a small amount. And what does it hurt to have a little faith with a little amount. If you are disciplined and faithful to give God 10%, imagine what He can help you do with the other 90%.

Worship Wednesday

Worship Wednesday

Sing a song to the Lord. Belt it from your heart. Worship is praise, and God wants us to praise Him.

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves me!
This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak but He is strong. 

Jesus loves me!
Loves me still,
Tho I'm very weak and ill,
That I might from sin be free,
Bled and died upon the tree. 

Jesus loves me!
He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in. 

Jesus loves me!
He will stay
Close beside me all the way.
Thou hast bled and died for me;
I will henceforth live for Thee. 

Chorus:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so. 

Lyrics courtesy of: Jesus Loves Me URL

Money Monday

Welcome to Money Monday! Every Monday I will bring you a tip about your finances to help you be a good steward of your money.

This weeks tip:

Do not menu plan, then look at the ad's to see what is on sale. Let the sales ads tell you what your menu is! I wish I could say I have done this all along, but it didn't really click until a few weeks ago for me. I have been craving chicken and dumplings, but buying a 5 pound bird can be a bit costly. My local grocer finally had whole chicken's on sale about 2 weeks ago and I took advantage! My almost 5 pound bird cost less that $4.00. Currently it is on the stove top boiling for some yummy and hearty chicken and dumplings.

I shop at two or three stores for my groceries. One has a weekly combo, buy one or two items and get three or four other items for free. Last weeks combo means this week we are having chicken parmigiana and Italian mixed veggies. A meal I like, but again, would not normally have because of cost. Just because you shop the sales ads does not mean you are eating bad or unhealthy. Shopping the ads is having to not overspend!

Faith Challenge

Follow up from last weeks challenge:

Last week I challenged wives to ask their husband what they needed prayer on. I hope you did this. Praying for your husband is praying for yourself. When you married you lost self and became a new flesh with him.

Here are somethings my husband has asked me to pray over on his behalf:

• that the joy of his ministry returns to him
• that the path God wants him on is clear
• that we can find a couple in our church to get to know, to fellowship with, to study the Word with

The first two came from simple pre-bed conversation. The last one happened last night. Saturday night/Sunday morning our daughter woke up about 2 a.m. and continued to wake up every hour after that. I had a loooong night. And I made the decision about 5 a.m. that her and I would not be going to church, I did not want to fall asleep during worship/service. So we stayed home and my husband went to church. Well last night after our little girl was asleep for the night we sat down as a couple to eat dinner and discuss the message from service that morning. My husband showed me the scriptures and gave me the points from the outline.

The main verse was Acts 2:42 (NKJV) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. We just recently finished construction on new buildings and our pastor is guiding us to be a healthy church.

My husband though is one to read the entire section of the scripture, not just a verse pulled out. So here is the whole section:
Acts 2:40-46
A Vital Church Grows
⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ⁴² And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

The part that jumped out to me was the fellowship, and the breaking of bread from house to house. That got us talking. We both have friends at church, but none together. He has his friends and I have mine. And it weighed on us last night that we need a couple to fellowship with, from our church. For we do know many couples, just not from church. And we thought it would be nice to have a couple that we share common interests with that we can get together twice a month or so, do a dinner, and have some Bible study. So that is how I will pray.

Now my challenge to you this week. Get with your spouse and come up with a project to do together. Build something together. My husband and I are going to build me a new work desk for my crafting. We finished the layout of it last night and this weekend we are going shopping for the supplies. Building something together like this is a first, but it will open our eyes to how we think, and how work at certain task. It should be eye opening.

God Bless!

Prayer Challenge

Prayer challenge for this week:

Ask your husband what he needs prayer over. You might be surprised at what he tells you.

God bless!