Three years ago, I started dreaming about writing a practical, “how to” book about budgeting. I have always loved finances and I really love helping other people with their finances, I love problem solving, and bringing God into the mix of everything. I feel like God has just given me this little niche where all these different elements of my interests converge and it just flows. I remember going to coffee with my Dad and telling him all about what God was stirring in my heart concerning writing a book. It felt like a huge dream, ridiculous with a one …
Yea for Vacation… But How Do I Pay For It?
There is nothing that will kill your joy and memories that you made on your vacation like coming home and having to sit and figure out what your vacation actually cost. It’s so fun while you are there, eating out, buying souvenirs, enjoying yourself, but coming home and seeing the collateral damage is no fun at all. It tends to suck the joy right out of your trip, and can even keep you from wanting to go again, or at least it makes vacation seem really difficult and unattainable. I don’t have all the answers to this little dilemma, but …
Practicing What I’m Preaching
Well, I hope you are all having a very wonderful holiday weekend. We have been having a lovely time with our family. Anyway, I am going to practice what I am preaching and take the day off. Have a lovely Sunday and I promise I will be back on Monday with practical tips for budgeting for your vacation. God bless,Tracy
Togetherness, Togetherness, and More Togetherness
My Dad left this comment on Thursday’s blog (Designed For Rest) and I wanted to share it with you because it is so good:“Tracy, I am so glad that you are dealing with this subject. Everywhere we go to minister, we find people exhausted, on the point of burnout and, most importantly, weariness and with it physical and emotional weakness that brings vulnerability to the temptations of the enemy. Many problems with lust, impatience, irritability, anxiety and a host of other weaknesses can be directly linked to not having adequate rest. Keep plowing this ground because the ‘work ethic’ of …
Purposeful Rest
In the Old Testament when God was giving out the law to Moses, one of the things that He mandated was that every seventh year, the land was to be given a full year to rest. (Exodus 23:10-11) There is a definite theme of rest going through the Bible. God rested, Jesus rested and took time away, and throughout scripture there are encouragements to take regular rest. But what really gives me pause about this passage is, “What did the farmers do for that whole year?” They would have planned for the seventh year since it was mandated and they …
Designed for Rest
I’m back! Yea for sleeping in my own bed without three children in the room! Yea for getting back to writing! But Yea for a wonderful family vacation! We really had such a wonderful time with our kids and as a family. It takes a lot of energy to vacation with three kids, but it really was so worth the effort. I also came home with lots of blog ideas about vacation that I am going to be sharing with you for the next few days. It might help you get some ideas for your vacation, or inspire you to …
Discipline (Part 3): The Third Day Hump
Every few weeks I find myself in the position where it is time again to recommit to running. I actually do love to run. I love being in shape and just being able to go out for a run. However, after each pregnancy I have faced this enormous hurdle of having to get back in shape. For me at the end of every pregnancy when I am gi-normous, I don’t just dream of meeting my baby for the first time, I dream of running. I dream of gliding down the street with effortless grace and stamina… yes, it is a …
Vacation update
Just a quick note before I post my “real” blog. I am so excited to report that we are having a wonderful vacation! Matt and I are sitting here writing, with our three angelic children asleep in the room. They are so exhausted! They have played and been swimming and as Noah said, “Mommy, I am having the most wonderful vacation!” It has really been a wonderful trip so far. Thank you for your prayers for our trip. What an incredible gift it is to have children. It is really fun to just get to enjoy them like this. I …
Going on vacation
Vacation! Yea for trips, and fun, and three kids in a mini-van… I am not sure what we are thinking, but I will be gone for the next few days. I might get a chance to blog while there, but just in case I don’t. Have a wonderful weekend. God bless, and pray for our survival 🙂 Actually, I know we will survive, I just really want it to be more than survival. I want it to be fun and full of memories. It is going to be an adventure trip, so it will be full and busy, and I …
Discipline (Part 2): Matters of the Heart
Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This verse has so often been used by preachers to tell us that we are not supposed to have wealth on this earth, but we need to give it into their ministry or their church so that we can have treasure in heaven instead. I am sorry but I don’t think this verse has anything at all do with giving to the “church”… maybe a little more to do with BEING the church. And it definitely is not talking about just giving away all of your …