This week I have been been reminded to be thankful.
Not in the ordinary way but in many small and subtle ways. We have been enjoying incredible food around our house the last couple of weeks. Almost all of which we preserved or grew or raised at little to no cost. My grocery bill for this two weeks was literally $100 for a family of 6 people and a good chunk of that was non food items. I am thankful to know that if it became a real issue I have enough to provide for my family because I was faithful to do the work this summer and will reap the rewards this winter.
I am thankful once again that I have been blessed enough to have my boys home. I really feel like I need a break however I have seen huge growth in the way they interact and cooperate with one another. They are also showing more responsibility in several areas as well.
I am thankful for my newer vehicle. It has been such a blessing since May to be able to do so many things knowing that the car we are driving is dependable.
I am thankful for my husband. He hit a deer last week and ruined two main pieces on his vehicle. He went to Genes and bought both the pieces for under $80 and replaced them himself. This is an early 90's saturn kept for great gas mileage and not great looks. However everything now matches and looks like it did before he hit the deer. What a blessing.
I am thankful for my home and my incredibly low house payment. Way lower than we could ever rent and to be paid off shortly.
I have very much felt like God has been distant lately. Like he is not there. However as I look around at these blessings and much much more I am reminded how much he is with me and how thankful I need to be.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Living Like no one else?
Dave Ramsey fans understand this phrase... Live like no one else so that eventually you can live like no one else.
Lots of people are talking about this and it is great but are we really doing it. Do we still have to have the $50 jeans? I have heard a thousand excuses on why we can't bring our budget totally in line because some one will say I have to have this or that. Really? Will you die without it. Probably not.
Are you teaching it to your children? Are they financially responsible and ready to handle themselves by the time they are 18. Did they buy their car? Do they provide for some of their clothing. Are they responsible for college? If not my guess is we missed the mark. In wanting to bless our children we enable them to still be children rather then letting them stand on their own two feet.
I think in the end whatever excuse we have is made up to justify what we want, is to make us not feel bad instead of admitting I don't want to do it. I am not willing to give it up. With our children it is just the same. Things are so much harder for kids these days is a common excuse. If we teach our children to have a real job the 2 years prior to graduation they will be better equipped for life. If we make them pay for all or a significant portion of their college they are more likely to chose a job set that will result in a payoff rather than an "underwater basket weaving degree" as my husband likes to call it. If we make them pay for their car insurance won't they attempt to be more careful with that car they had to purchase.
It is all about teaching responsibility and we cannot complain when they are not making progress in their life because they have not been taught to do so. We can not send them into the world or out to be married if they are not fully understanding of all the financial responsibilities that go with it. We will have our children and their spouses and their children living in our basement otherwise. Teach them, guide them and make them responsible and they will thank you one day.
Lots of people are talking about this and it is great but are we really doing it. Do we still have to have the $50 jeans? I have heard a thousand excuses on why we can't bring our budget totally in line because some one will say I have to have this or that. Really? Will you die without it. Probably not.
Are you teaching it to your children? Are they financially responsible and ready to handle themselves by the time they are 18. Did they buy their car? Do they provide for some of their clothing. Are they responsible for college? If not my guess is we missed the mark. In wanting to bless our children we enable them to still be children rather then letting them stand on their own two feet.
I think in the end whatever excuse we have is made up to justify what we want, is to make us not feel bad instead of admitting I don't want to do it. I am not willing to give it up. With our children it is just the same. Things are so much harder for kids these days is a common excuse. If we teach our children to have a real job the 2 years prior to graduation they will be better equipped for life. If we make them pay for all or a significant portion of their college they are more likely to chose a job set that will result in a payoff rather than an "underwater basket weaving degree" as my husband likes to call it. If we make them pay for their car insurance won't they attempt to be more careful with that car they had to purchase.
It is all about teaching responsibility and we cannot complain when they are not making progress in their life because they have not been taught to do so. We can not send them into the world or out to be married if they are not fully understanding of all the financial responsibilities that go with it. We will have our children and their spouses and their children living in our basement otherwise. Teach them, guide them and make them responsible and they will thank you one day.
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