This post is re-run from June of 2008. I started to write a new blog and went back and discovered I had already written what I wanted to say! Yea, I took the evening off and still get to say what I wanted to. Thank you Jesus 🙂 So I feel your heart torn… why give up the convenience of your credit card for all of that paper money? It is just so easy to swipe and go. It is also almost impossible to buy something online without one, or to rent a car. Why stop using them? And it …
After the Band
In 1998, my husband Matt was touring as a professional musician with a band. He spent most of his time out on the road, and as part of that lifestyle he put everything on his credit card. He never really thought about his credit card because he was being paid well, and every month he would just pay it off. However, he had nothing in savings and every month he would spend everything that he made. Then in the Fall of that year, the artist that Matt had been touring with suddenly decided to stop touring. It came as quite …
Life After Credit Cards – Suprises
I had such a light-bulb moment this morning as I sat down to work on our finances, and I am so excited to share it with you! It really was one of those moments when all of the pieces came together, and I finally saw the genius of what the Lord had put in our hearts to do. First of all let me say that I had deposited our salary check on Friday so I knew that we had funds to cover whatever might be automatically debited over the weekend. Therefore I was able to relax over the weekend and …
A Table Before Me
Can I just tell you this morning how Good our God is! He is not fazed by economy, or climate, or circumstances. He is unchanging in His Goodness towards us. This morning I am meditating on Psalm 23, especially verses 5 & 6:“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” I truly believe that even in the most desperate of circumstances (for the Psalmist …
Feeding the Mogwai
Enemy, thy name is Ebay. Seriously, Ebay can be so difficult to say NO to. Especially when you find a great deal on something that you never knew you always wanted. All of a sudden that magical countdown clock until the end of the auction becomes your deadline for how badly do you want this one of a kind whatever? The minutes tick by, you refresh the page, the price climbs slightly, you feel a moment of “Oh no, I’m not going to win it.” Ebay should really come with warning signs like “Not for the fiercely competitive” or “Remember, …
Happy New Year!
From my home to yours, have a wonderful New Year. I am excited to see what this new year holds and so grateful for what God did in 2008. I hope you enjoy the first day of the year today. Do something different. Celebrate your life and the people that you love. It is a good day to be alive and it is a good day to open your heart to God and all that He has for you in this year. Begin anew. Focus on the important rather than the urgent. God bless and have a happy and blessed …
The Cookie Jar
Can I just tell you how good it feels to have all of your credit card balances be at zero? If you have no idea what that feels like, may I suggest you join me on my credit card “diet”. Having credit cards at your convenient disposal is a lot like living with jars of cookies and chocolate all over your home. It is one thing to want to eat healthy or lose weight, but if your weakness is cookies and you are constantly surrounded by them, then you will have a very hard time reaching your goal. You will …
A Little Less Chocolate
Are you hiding from your bills and finances? I am… just a little bit. Christmas is such a magical season, but it is also magical how quickly money disappears during the Christmas season. Between the presents, stocking stuffers, parties, family and guests visiting, travel costs, the outings and even the utilities bills from having guests… it just adds up so quickly. Facing that final reality in the aftermath of Christmas can seem like a bucket of cold water. So we are all in recovery together. Let’s face it friends, there is no way through but to go through… and I …
New Beginnings
A new year is coming and I just love new beginnings. Many people laugh at new year’s resolutions, but every year I see it as an opportunity to begin again. I ask the Lord for fresh vision for the year and for my life. I look at my calendar and write in all of the birthdays for friends and try to think “birthday budget”. I clean out my closet and go through my junk drawers. In my house, everything gets a fresh beginning for the new year… and that includes my budget. So as I have been looking at my …
The Father’s Love
Well, I can’t seem to get the blog written, but I am working on my book, so I think it’s just that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. But I just have to share this video with you. Nothing to do with budgeting, but it also puts everything in perspective. Love and fear cannot co-exist. His love drives all fear from your heart. So if you are in fear in your finances… this is such a wonderful reminder of who your heavenly Father is and how much He loves you. What amazing love…