Trick Tommy's Truck (P)

BEFORE
AFTER

Isn't it Crazy!

The bible says...
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24

A story was shared with me this weekend about how people who work on railroad tracks get so used to the sound of trains that it's not uncommon for them to get hit while working because they don't hear the train coming. Can you imagine NOT hearing a train approaching WHILE STANDING ON THE TRACK!

Our country has become so backwards. "No interest, No payment, until 2010". What ever happened to layaway? Too slow? Have now, pay later...don't wait. BE HAPPY NOW. Big houses, fancy cars, nice furniture, new clothes... Our wastefulness too. How about a bite size brownie pan that you can buy now at Target that allows you to make brownies in little squares (like cutting them has become too hard). Rental storage units will certainly be in demand even in this economy because of all the stuff we own and don't use or need, especially if we lose the house we were once able to store it in.

No problem, it doesn't cost much or we'll make the money and pay for it...eventually. And we will...

All this, even after God tried to remind us that it all belongs to him and we should trust in Him to provide. EVERY PIECE OF MONEY HAS "IN GOD WE TRUST" WRITTEN ON IT. EVERY PIECE! Do you you think we got a little used to getting things ourselves and on OUR time rather than "trusting in God"? And now the train is approaching.

Do you here the horn?

I don't know about any of you, but I want to be free. Our Crown Financial memory scripture for this week...
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. " Proverbs 22:7

If you are interested in finding out more about the financial freedom God offers feel free to contact me or click on this link http://www.crown.org/ .

Room to Roam (V)

My Little "Super Star" (P)

My little girl...ahh, how wonderful she is. The last couple of weeks she's formed a "crush" on a little boy at church who is a year and a half her senior. He started out as "the big kid in the purple team shirt". This little man's name is Andrew. We hear about him all the time. "I love Andrew, he's my friend", "He likes to tease and chase me", "Can Andrew come over and play?"

Time vs. Money

It really is true, either you spend time to have money or spend money to have time.

Tommy and I started a Crown Financial class a couple of weeks ago. It's a biblically based financial class that teaches what God has to say about our finances. I've been thinking about hiring a financial planner, what better one then God? Surprizingly, the bible says A LOT about money, and NOT just about giving to the church. Many great principles to live by. The first week we had to read a 168 page book called Your Money Counts. In addition to giving, it talked about earning, spending, saving, investing, getting out of debt and SO MUCH MORE. It really has been an inspiration.
Now the question is...

Money vs. God, who will we serve?

I Have a Dream...

Not to make light of Martin Luther King Juniors dream, it was a righteous one, but I too have a dream. I long for a few days without a set schedule and no responsibilities. I think it's what some might call a "vacation". I would love to get away from my house and be able to sleep in, take a bath, watch movies, read, take walks, and just sit around to my hearts content. Maybe it's the time of year, being all cooped up inside, bored of looking at the walls. More likely it's the dull drum routine of watching kids and trying to keep a house in order from the crack of dawn to the dark of night. I've had a few nights away in the last few months, but I honestly can't remember the last time I had a true vacation. December of '04? Over the last few years when I HAD paid vacation time it was spent taking care of my kids because they were sick or because we didn't have daycare. I might have taken a DAY to run errands and maybe do one selfish thing like shop or lay outside in the sun for an hour. Is it just that, selfish, to want a few days all to myself? Do other people take/have time? I know I'll get myself in trouble if I say single people have a vacation everyday. The grass is always greener, right? (I don't want any nasty e-mails, I glad to be married, most days). I would like to blame Tommy for my lack of time, but I know he would say "GO". However, discussing time with him would be like... "Leave! But Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until 8 don't work for me and neither do Saturdays during the day. So go ahead and take Friday after 8 and then Saturday after 4 (or as close to that as I can be home) and then we'll see you on Sunday for church, right?" Of course he can take off for days without worry. That's the other part of it. "Without worry". I know I could leave the kids and they would survive, but the house would be a different story. Is it worth taking a few days only to come home to have to work twice as hard to bring the house back in some kind of order (when I say "some kind", I mean with no dishes and somewhat picked up, I'm really not that picky.) Tommy's time with the kids usually consists of him sitting in front the the TV trying to play with them while watching his movie/game/show. Or he will run errands to NAPA for parts for something he's fixing. (Haylie screams "NAPA" whenever we pass a sign for the store.) I know, I'm a control freak!! I can't get everything my way and I will be miserable trying. I could probably take a month "off" and it still would not be enough. I doubt getting what I want would fulfill me and give me the rest I desire. I keep correcting myself and saying I need God, not necessarily time off. If God wants me to have time off, he'll provide it for me, and it probably won't be in a form I would expect "time-off" to look like. (Sorry for all the " ") I love my kids. They are beautiful and full of life. If only I could find joy in them and rest in God, not to mention peace with my husband, but that's a whole different desire.

The Best of...

After organizing to make the best use of our storage space and creating a schedule board to make the best use of our time, I have one major project left...a budget, to make the best use of our money. I REALLY want to live on the budget even though I'm probably not going to be thrilled with all aspects of it. Our sermon at church was about financial planning today and they are offering a class that starts next weekend. When I say I really want this, I mean with all my heart. The good news is, I know God wants this for us too so it will happen one way or another. ;o) In this market, I think everyone is making efforts to cut back but I want to go all the way. We need to spend what we have with purpose. I want to leave a legancy and set a good example for our kids. As my sister-in-law quoted "live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later."