Sacrificial season of Lent

The season of Lent is here. Many of you may have chosen to give up something as a way to focus on the events surrounding the Resurrection of Christ/Easter. I too thought I would give up something, so I picked my two weaknesses: Sweets and Coffee. Now I have to say, I am addicted to coffee, and it's hard to pass up dessert. But, my sweetness giving up is a little selfishly motivated (I have GOT to loose weight.) My coffee was more of, I don't usually survive without it, I think it makes me edgy, time to cut back.

WELL...I did refused the chocolate chip cookies the boys got for lunch, BUT absent-mindedly snacked on Fruit Loops a minute ago, and caved into my coffee abstinence this morning because I have no caffeinated tea on hand. What's wrong with me!!

All that to say, it's a good thing we have a gracious Savior, who refused to give into temptation, weakness, even though the end was met with death. Even at the pivotal moment in the garden, praying "not my will but yours (God's) be done"!

And I can't help but think...what would I do if I knew I only had 40+ days left to live. Most of us would probably do everything extravagant we could think of. Go places, see things/people. One last hurrah! After all, we're going to heaven right?! What did Jesus do? He kept ministering, healing, and teaching. Even days before he was arrested, he was still performing miracles. He even had the one who was going to betray him in his midst, and yet he still showed love to him.

So, even if we don't make it through the season of Lent (:-)), we can still learn a lot about where we fall short, and where Christ didn't.

Spring Cleaning My Life

Those who know me know that I'm on a constant quest to simplify and streamline my life while at the same time enjoying collecting things and living a life in a state of chaos. How to merge these two? I've tried countless organizational systems, had friends come over to help me declutter, read helpful websites, followed the Fly Lady's system, etc. Nothing has really seemed to click as far as a workable solution/system for my current state of unpredictability. 

Until yesterday... when I discovered Simple Mom. Just the title was enough to hook me. I've already been decluttering and cleaning closets like mad in order to recapture some storage real estate that wasn't being used to its fullest potential, so I'm in the zone, so to speak, to declutter and organize. Well, some of the forms and suggestions on Simple Mom have got me thinking... and I think they just might be a good fit for me! Simple Mom is written by a Christian although she doesn't mention her faith on the site; she does, however, claim that it informs her views on things. 

Why am I telling this to the blog world? Well, I'm hoping to spend the month of March doing some "spring cleaning" on my house, my time, my priorities, my task-lists, my routines, etc. I might even do some spring cleaning on this blog (Carrie and I've talked over ways we can make the blog more accessible to people, articles more easily found, etc.--any thoughts are welcome in the comments section). So, you may not hear much from me these next few weeks (even though so many terrific blog posting ideas are floating through my head...). Carrie's busy with home schooling and managing a preschooler, among other things, so we don't hear as much as we'd like from her these days, either. Don't give up on us! We'll still be around and enjoy hearing your comments!

I Didn't Get a Haircut... I Got 'Em All Cut

Today is/was haircutting day: 2 down, 1 to go.

Last week, a passerby mistook one of my very beefy boys for a girl.... I knew it was time.... The last time I cut the boys' hair, it was 2008, pre-Christmas...maybe even pre-Thanksgiving. If it's humid outside and they've just had a bath, they look like they have a bad '80's perm....

All three of my children have been blessed with fairly curly hair. This hides a multitude of sins, thankfully, so I've begun cutting their hair myself (after watching good friends and my mother do it in for me). I've gotten better and learned a few things along the way. In case you're inspired to attempt this yourself, keep the following in mind:

• Videos are a must (our pick today is The Wiggles: Pop Go the Wiggles streamed instantly from Netflix)
  
• Proper clothing is a must (fleece is a no no....don't ask me how I know this)
  
• Bath-time immediately following the hair cut must be part of the schedule
  
• Speed is more important than accuracy--you can always touch up later, but half a head of cut hair looks terrible (again, don't ask me how I know this...)
  
• Just do it: just make that first cut without analyzing.... see above point
  
• You can always use clippers with a guard for little boys' hair; I haven't because my boys are too interested in little mechanical devices (maybe because their Daddy is an engineer?); it's too hard to try to cut the back of the head when the eyes want so very much to see what is making the cool electronic noise.
• Time to clean up salon area after said bath-time is also a must
• Booster seats with confining straps are also a good idea
• Save an old vinyl tablecloth if you go the indoor/movie route (when it's warmer, we can host hair cutting sessions in the great outdoors!)

Remember, Easter isn't that far away--if you cut now, there is still time for too-short hairs to grow. Don't ask me why I'm pointing this out....

Now Seeds, Start Growing!

Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel continues to be one of my all-time favorite books EVER. This is coming from an English major, a former English teacher, AND someone who has an MA in children's literature! So, I've read a LOT of books, especially a lot of children's books.

This particular book of Lobel's features the beloved Frog and Toad in various adventures; one of which is the "The List," about which I wrote before. My daughter and I read this book all the time, so the stories are always fresh in mind. Since I started some of my herb and vegetable seeds last night, I've had Toad's cry from "The Garden," "Now seeds, start growing!" running through my head.

In "The Garden," Toad sees Frog's garden full of beautiful flowers. Frog assures Toad that he, too, can have a beautiful garden, but it's hard work. Toad plants some seeds and commands them to start growing. Nothing happens. He yells at them. Nothing happens. Toad thinks his seeds are afraid to grow. When Frog notices Toad yelling at his seeds, he suggests that Toad leave them alone and let the sun shine on them, the rain fall on them, and so forth. But Toad commences what can only be described as a seed nurturing regimen: he sings to them, he reads them stories by candlelight, he plays music for them, and he reads them poetry. During the course of his "enrichment program," the rain falls, the sun shines, and day and night pass. When he falls asleep, exhausted from his hard work, the seeds begin to sprout. Frog wakes him up with the good news, and Toad exclaims, "You were right, Frog.  It was very hard work."

Isn't this the way we operate with our children? Sometimes we resort to yelling when there's no immediate response. Often we exert all kinds of effort to "enrich" them: taking them sports activities, filling our week with play date after play date, signing them up for little gymnastics classes, starting music lessons early, and fretting over any slight deviation from whatever we perceive as "normal." In reality, kids are like seeds: they need sunshine to shine on them, a little rain to fall on them, regular days and nights, and they will grow! (I could elaborate on the spiritual implications of this story, but that's another post for another day!)

The Great Gardening Game 2009

Looking for free entertainment for your wee ones? Looking for a way to be "green" and more "organic" in your kitchen/eating? Looking for a way to get more exercise? Looking for a fun hobby? Look no further! It's time to think about that garden!

Already? You ask. Yes, indeed my friends. You should have been armchair gardening in January and have headed out to Lowe's or gone to Park's for some seed by now for most of the USA (if you're in the Deep South, you could probably have already planted stuff outside by now!).

I took some pictures yesterday of the bare dirt/leaves in our "garden"--the back 40 (feet) as I call it. Always fun to see what it used to look like before we start our (ambitious) garden. We'll be starting seeds in flats in our basement under flourescent lights (really, these are vegetable seeds! Nothing illegal going on here, I promise, although the picture certainly looks sketchy).

It is worth trying to grow a few things this year--get to know the Lord'

s creation a bit more intimately and get a better appreciation for the food that lands on your table. So, I'm encouraging everyone to think about it, to let their kiddos get their hands dirty, and to learn to like a new vegetable or appreciate an old favorite fresh off the vine. It's such a great reminder, too, that the Lord is really the source of our food--when you're watching the weather, trying to diagnose a pest problem, harvesting something--all of it reminded me of who is really providing me with my daily food, whether it comes from a grocery store, the orchard up the road, or my little backyard garden.

To read about last year's great gardening game:

The Great Gardening Game Has Begun

Still in Play

The Harvest Continues

Another Call to Action: Fight FOCA

You can sign the petition to fight the Freedom of Choice Act here. This is another scary piece of legislation in the works. Carrie has alluded to this before, but I don't know that we've put the link directly on the blog. Pass it on to your friends and family! 

What is FOCA? It essentially does away with all restrictions or limits on abortion as currently practiced/allowed in the U.S. There are some scary statistics out there, folks, including the amount of partial birth or late term abortions already allowed due to women's "health" (which can include mental, "perceived" health issues). There's an excellent analysis of what this act includes and what it will restrict here The three most disturbing aspects to me are the elimination of parental consent for minors, the elimination of safety standards for abortion clinics (why would abortion advocates be wanting this??), and the elimination of the legal right of Catholic and other religious hospitals to refuse to perform abortions based on religious grounds (we had all three of our children in places which did not perform abortions--that was one of the reasons we chose those institutions and health care providers!).

Scary Times=Call to Action

If you have been in unpolitical bliss (as I often am!) it is time to wake up. There are some major things trying to go down that we, as citizens (and hopefully Christian citizens) need to be aware of. So I am going to pass along two websites:

1. www.parentalrights.org = If you are unaware, the UN is trying to pass this whole rights of the child bill. Basically, it would give the government much more control over our children and how they are treated. They would have access to all kinds of records (medical, school), they could step in and take the control of raising our kids away from us. It is really quite scary. There is a nomation for David Ogden to become deputy attorney general and he wants to push this. If you don't realize how scary this could get go to the website. Even better, contact (email, write, call) your representatives to oppose him and oppose the US signing this bill the UN has in place. We have not signed it yet.

2. www.familyresearchcouncil.org = This is another fabulous sight. Both sites you can sign up for regular emails. This non-profit group is based in Washington. They keep a perspective of family values first, and keep you updated on things happening, bills coming, the whole stimulus thing, etc. It's a great way to stay current on events, especially if in my house, your TV hardly gets turned on for the news due to kids.

I highly encourage you to check out both of these!!! There are a lot of things happening in our government right now. These things could greatly affect us, and how we can and choose to raise our families!! And if you want an even closer touch with what is going on, join a Concerned Women for America group in your area. I have and it's great. I keep current on more stuff, and we have a regular prayer time for all the government things happening. Plus, I get contact info of all of our local and national leaders/representatives. So if you haven't done so yet, voice your opinion. This is our country! We get a say!!

Top Five Grocery Savings Strategies (Without Clipping Coupons)

I hear of people who save 60% (or more) on their grocery bills by clipping coupons (like my friend Alicia). I'm in awe of her "deals" sometimes, but have had to come to grips with the fact that I can't keep that up right now. I don't have enough mental power these days. 

Even though I don't use many coupons, I still manage to save money when I shop for groceries (we frequently hit the thrifty level on the average U.S. grocery cost chart). It all comes down to what you buy on a regular basis. For our small family, we buy very few convenience, beauty, or cleaning products. The bulk of the coupons I've seen tend to be for these primary categories. We buy generic goods, have fairly low-maintenance health/beauty routines, and use a limited array of cleaning products (more on that in another post). So, here's how we save money:

1. Sam's (or BJ's, Cosco, etc.). This is tricky.... It's so easy to walk into these stores and come out with legitimately great deals on things you truly don't need (there's a very funny article to this end in the January, 2008 issue of Real Simple magazine). However, if you can use a list and some self-control, there are wonderful savings to be had. We keep a running "Sam's" list and make a monthly run for things like: infant formula (both generic and name brand--don't need anymore, but it saved us tons when the boys were consuming formula), diapers, dog food (even our vet recommended the Purina Fit and Trim you can get at Sam's over our more pricey Nutro), paper towels, toilet paper, ziploc freezer bags, dairy products (especially the 5 pound block of American cheese--a true essential in a house with toddlers), bread and English muffins (great prices on these; put a loaf in the freezer), and meat. The meat prices at Sam's are typically what meat goes on sale for at our regular grocery. So, we stock up on these items.

2. Sales! I don't have the energy to create and keep a grocery price book like some people recommend. But, pay a little attention, and you'll soon notice the regular sales on things you use most. Here's a short list of things I wait for and stock up on: frozen veggies, toothpaste, hot dogs, weird organic cereals that are fun now and then, dairy (you can freeze milk and butter!), tuna, canned tomato products, canned fruit, canned beans..... You get the idea.

3. A grocery list!!!!! Truly a must.

4. A strategy: I've figured out what is genuinely cheaper at Sam's. I get the Kroger weekly flyers emailed to me and make my weekly list from there. I stock up on the food we use regularly when it's cheaper at Kroger than the regular price at Sam's (meat, dairy, etc.). We have a local produce stand we visit for our produce. Benefits: I get coupons from Kroger in the mail for things like $5 off $45 bill, or $2 off $10 of frozen food--things I can use on many different types of products (what's on sale!) rather than a particular brand or size. So, my weekly shopping looks like this: Kroger once a week, Pratt's (local produce market--just down the road) once a week or so, Sam's once every 6 weeks or so. That's pretty much it.

5. Limited convenience foods. These are expensive, folks. I don't make everything from scratch. But I do avoid frozen lasagnas, most boxed cereals, granola bars, chips, etc. unless they're part of a specific meal (i.e. we have tortilla chips when we have chili). I don't have school-age kids, so I'm sure some of that will change when I pack school lunches, but for now, that's how we operate.

I have used more coupons lately because Alicia gives me some, and I've even ordered some from The Coupon Clippers. I'm trying to simplify things, though, so that means I'm heading back to my old, scanty-coupon-use. For some great food-oriented blogs that are geared to money-saving tips, both in shopping and in food preparation, check out $5 Dinners and The Grocery Cart Challenge.

A Sad Reminder for Prayer

I just received an prayer request email from our church. A family has some close friends who have just formerly announced to all that they have moved from Christianity to atheism. Wow...The husband even came from a very Christian home. It reminds me that we need to constantly be on guard. We are at war in a sense. And we need to pray for our children as they grow. Satan is alive and well on planet earth!

The following is from Romans 1:16, 20-24 (the whole chapter is good!)

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."

Blankets and Wool Sweaters are Free!

We like to think of ourselves as frugal...as opposed to merely cheap. We also happen to believe that when it's cold outside, you pull out the winter clothes. Likewise, when it's hot outside, the tank tops and shorts make an appearance. As a result, we keep our house cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer than most do. This, of course, helps our energy bills immensely! 

What does mean in actuality? Our thermostat is set to 64 degrees 24/7 right now. That's fairly cool; we wear layers, wool sweaters, and warm socks! At night, we bundle up under blankets. Our kids actually do better in the cooler temperature; more dry heat only dries their sinuses out and give them MORE congestion. We began this winter at about 66 degrees and have dropped a degree each month....we worked up to it so to speak. And those sweaters and blankets we already own are free to operate! 

As you evaluate your budget and seek to reduce costs, consider your energy bills. It's amazing how much you can save over fairly small changes: one to two degrees on the thermostat, bathing your kids every other night insead of every night, turning off lights when you leave the house, etc. 

Teabag: Unwordly Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

Unwordly peace. Guess what, there was a whole lot of strife, war, fighting, really bad rulers in Bible times. Just look at the kings of Israel. There is a reason they went into exile. This is a promise from Jesus, himself. He is point blank saying this world will not give us peace. But we can find TRUE peace in him. And we don't have to be afraid of our earthly future in the hands of our earthly rulers. But rest in the promises from him. So Peace I leave with you....

Tithing

In the Old Testament, the Lord commands, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse." (Micah--can't remember chapter and verse and don't have time to look it up...). Anyway, tithing has long been an issue for Christians. Are we still bound to the 10% rule? Do we "have" to tithe at all? What happens if we miss tithing a paycheck? Do we "owe" back-tithes? Will God not bless us until we're caught up?

I won't pretend to know the answers to all the tithing issues, but a few things I do know: our standing before God is dependent on Christ's work on the cross, alone. Period. We can add nothing to our salvation, not even a religious following of the tithe. The Pharisees were chastised for tithing their mint, dill, and cumin (do you tithe your herbs?), but were still guilty of not loving their fellow men and women.

I also know that God loves a cheerful giver, that everything we have is really the Lord's, and that obedience should be a fruit of our faith. That being said, it seems the very least we should be doing is "tithing" ten percent of our income.

We now have a check sent automatically from our bank to our church every month since we kept forgetting. We are teaching our daughter to give when the offering plate comes around. We also help support some missionary friends of ours. I don't think we have to worry about back tithes; I think it is more important that we start obeying the Lord by giving cheerfully right now, today. When you make your monthly budget, don't forgot to include the amounts you are planning to give to the Lord's work. You might even consider stepping out in faith and giving slightly more than you think you "can." (Maybe my parents will write a guest post on their experiences with Faith Promise giving in previous years.)

Teabag: God

In the beginning, God...
Genesis 1:1

Enough said! We are studying the creation story right now in school (which creates lots of questions from my 6 yr. old.) But all we need to know is in the beginning was God, is God, will be God, never not God. So why are we worrying? If He created us, He has a plan...there go all of mine out the window :-).

A Day in the Life Of... Part 2

I wrote about an exceptionally busy day away from home just before Christmas. Today was a busy day mostly at home--quite typical in many respects except that we rarely run an errand on wash day; I don't know if I recorded all the laundry changes--there are usually 6 or so loads on wash day (hubby had a meeting at church tonight, so he won't be home until 9:00-ish).

• Shower (6:30 or so)
• Got kids up and dressed
  
• Threw in 1st load of laundry (today's wash day after all)
  
• Fed everyone breakfast (including dogs); human breakfast was scrambled eggs and leftover pancakes and tangerines
  
• Thew in 2nd load of laundry--moved first to dryer
  
• Phone call
  
• Changed diapers, socks and shoes on, three raincoats on
  
• 9:15-ish... left for mall (indoor playground)
  
• Mall indoor playground time (just us--kids love it)
  
• 10:00-ish... geared back up, bought pretzel stix on way out of mall
  
• Hung out in mall foyer waiting for TORRENTIAL rain to stop
  
• Gave up waiting and made a break for it
  
• Quick Walmart run (rarely go to this place, but sometimes it's a necessity. Of course, they were out of the 1 thing I actually needed from there)
  
• Back home
  
• Lunch (noon?): pb&j, salad (yes, 2 of my kids now like salad!!!), cucumbers, apples
  
• Kids run around house while Mommy checks email, cleans up lunch, loads a picture onto the computer, and yells at kids....
  
• Story time (well, this is for preschooler after boys go down for nap)
  
• Nap-time and quiet time (during which neither twin slept; preschooler was angelic, however)
  
• Nap-time activity for Mommy: some computer time, switch laundry loads, plan dinner, make phone calls, etc.
  
• Preschooler and Mommy make carrot-apple muffins for baby shower on Friday
  
• Preschooler watches promised movie while Mommy finishes muffins, gets boys up, cooks pinto beans (for chili later), removes boys from counter/chairs a gazillion times, reads quick story to both boys, removes boys from broom closet, restores cardboard recycling to its rightful place in broom closet, hugs boy who got pinched by other boy, switches laundry, answers phone, makes tuna sandwiches for Daddy's lunch (for freezer)...
  
• Dinner! (mostly leftovers plus some newly steamed broccoli and our now favorite yogurt/banana/honey dessert)
  
• Kids run around while Mommy loads dishwasher and starts it
  
• Bath-time! All three kids at the same time...
  
• Diaper kids after bath, but not fast enough!!! One boy pees onto preschooler's towel (she wasn't still wrapped up in it), and then poops on it... (sigh... at least it's laundry day and there's 1 more load to go)
  
• Pajama Time... oooh yeah, it's pajama time.
  
• Nighty-night time for kids (6:40 tonight--no naps mean tired kiddos--it's usually between 7 and 7:30)
  
• Switch laundry
  
• Quick blog post (this)
  
• Bible study for tomorrow
  
• Kids' lunches and diaper bag packed for tomorrow (Bible study)
  
• Folding all those loads of laundry while watching TV (feels quite relaxing!)
  

Teapots and Flowers

Two things I really enjoy: teapots and flowers. I also want my counters to be cleared off, my cupboards more organized, and my kitchen to be warm and welcoming. Can I reconcile all of these?

Because I enjoy teapots and flowers, I have myriad vases and teapots. I do actually use about half of my vases and 2 of my teapots. In my efforts to prune my "stuff," I've given away some of the unused items, but others hold enough sentimental value that I can't part with them yet. 

My friend Lisa came over yesterday and gave me a fabulous idea (why didn't I think of this before?!): to use the teapots I love as vases for flowers. I can now get rid of some of the vases I didn't really love because I don't need them... I have a terrific substitute. Now, how cheery is that?

New Year's Goals....

Better late than never, I suppose. I've had several New Year's goals floating around in my head ever since I wrote about why I like goals instead of resolutions. If I write them down here, then that's more mental accountability than merely recording them on a scratch piece of paper in the kitchen. I did write up a list of food/kitchen-related ones on full tummies.

I'm going to keep the list fairly short--more chance of me meeting these goals.

• Organize closets enough to get one more shelf's space out of each; things that need to go into closets that are now "hanging out" in my house: sewing machine, partially finished end table of my grandfather's, extra toys, miscellaneous kitchen clutter, books, etc. My goal is to rework the closets enough to get some of these items into closet space instead of taking of valuable counter or desk realestate.
  
• Read Bonhoeffer's Cost of Discipleship.
• Pray every day for 15 minutes.
• Work through question 20 in Children's Catechism with my daughter (we've just hit #11).
• Plant all my seeds (there are a LOT, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.) Keep a record of garden adventures (i.e. what works, what doesn't, how much produced, etc.).
• E-cards for birthdays (missed most of January, here, but can start now!).
• Digital photo book of 2008 by end of March; digital photo book for each kid's birthday; digital photo book of 2009 by Christmas.
• No new craft projects! 
• Finish existing craft projects by end of 2009 (daughter's quilt, husband's t-shirt quilt, miscellaneous pot holders, window treatments for bedroom and kitchen, etc.).
• Give back, give away, store all baby gear/clothes.
• Attack clutter: keep kitchen counters cleared off, desk cleared off, dining room table cleared off (if just those things stay caught up, we'll be in good shape!).
• File papers/deal with mail weekly. Daily, really, but every week will be a clean slate at the very least.
• Play outside with my kids 4 days a week (every day would be pointless in the rain we've had...).
• Lose 8 pounds.
• Throw/give away clothes that are too big once I lose aforementioned 8 pounds. At end of each season, if I didn't wear it that season, it also gets tossed.
• Date night with hubby every other week (we have a date swap with our neighbors).
• Kid-free trip with hubby sometime this year.

I decided this past fall that I wanted to "update" my look and try to look more like a wife than a worn out, unkempt mom. So, I got trendy new glasses. I just cut my hair (and it's very cute). Now, when I lose those last few pounds, I'll be able to wear some of the styles I prefer to wear! So, that's a work-in-progress goal, I suppose--like getting regular hair cuts and such.

Feel free to leave any of your own New Year's Goals in the comments section!

Money, Possession, and Eternity: A Perspective

Randy Alcorn's Money, Possessions, and Eternity is one of the best books I have ever read on, well, money, possessions, and eternity. Recommended by a CPA friend of ours years ago, it's a book I need to reread yet again. It seems a particularly relevant book in light of our current economy.

Alcorn is a Christian and seeks to challenge readers to develop a truly biblical view of their possessions, their wealth, and how it all stacks up in light of eternity. He begins with a look at the challenge we face in regard to money and possessions, looking at both ascetism and materialism. He takes a hard look at materialism in the church as well as in the individual.

The second section looks at money and possessions in light of eternity. Alcorn goes beyond the "two masters" dilemma and looks at our destiny (heaven) and our rewards; the rewards chapter was quite interesting since we often avoid that idea in our modern "grace-centered" churches. Alcorn examines the many Scriptures that talk about the rewards we will get in heaven and here on earth.

The third section looks at generosity: our giving and sharing. He covers tithing, giving above the tithe, mercy ministry to the poor and lost, and ethical concerns over fund-raising/ministry financing (another very interesting section).

The fourth and final section looks at how we need to handle our resources. This section is a bit more practical since it deals with some of the "here and now" concerns, but it necessarily comes at the end of his earlier, equally important, philosophical and theological discussions. He includes making/generating wealth, owning "stuff," debt (both borrowing and lending), saving (including a look at insurance), gambling, investing, leaving money, .... He also looks at the family: how we can address materialism in the family, how we can teach our children about money. This is not a how-to, like Larry Burkett or Dave Ramsey might provide; instead, it looks at eminently practical concerns in light of Biblical principles.

This book is meaty. I could go on and on about the different things that stood out to me. Even giving an overview of the table of contents brought back many, many reminders that I need to reread this yet again. Alcorn isn't inspired and infallible like the Bible; however, I believe that this book is quite biblical and should be read by everyone!

Budget 101: Gazelle Intensity

I already mentioned Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover in my earlier post on money and budgeting, but it deserves its own special little review. This book is a terrific tool for anyone, particularly Christians, looking to manage her money better.

Ramsey begins by issuing a challenge: to really manage your money, you must have "gazelle intensity." That is, you must have the intensity of a gazelle as it flees a predator: looking neither to the right nor to the left, undeterred by side issues or concerns. Ramsey then challenges the reader to admit the problem, dispels myths about money and debt, and reminds us we don't need to keep up with the Joneses (because they're likely living on credit).

Once you're psyched and ready to go, he outlines the plan: Save $1000 fast (and first). Create a debt snowball (which really works). Finish your emergency fund (3-6 months of living expenses). Maximize retirement investing. Save for college; teach your children about money. Pay off the house! And let the games begin.

His maxim: Live like no one else will so that you can live like no one else can.

Ramsey's plan is packed with sound Biblical advice, his projected goals are reachable, and his book is full of personal stories and testimonials that are quite encouraging. He favors the envelope system (pulling cash out for different categories and putting it in appropriate envelopes--this really works, people!) and "spending" your money on paper at the beginning of the month so you know where it all is going. We got rid of credit card debt, incurred no other debt, and lived within our means when we weren't making much money our first few years of marriage. It was so freeing to have a budget and know that we could spend freely within the constraints we'd given ourselves. We also set up that initial $1000 fund and then proceeded to dip into it frequently (much to our chagrin) for car repairs; the bonus: we never had to use credit to pay for the car repairs! We always had money in the bank. And we frequently said to each other, "Gazelle intensity!"

If you're in debt or simply looking for a good Christian perspective on money and the whole "credit" thing, check out Total Money Makeover. There's a link in our sidebar to amazon.com, or you can buy it from Dave Ramsey himself.

Wish I'd Written This...

I (Betsy) don't know this girl, but I love this post and I love the SWAK challenge she's issuing. So, click on the "button" on the side bar I just added (sorry, Carrie--didn't check with you first, but I'm assuming you'll be in on this one, too). Or, click on this link to the SWAK Challenge info. There's an additional challenge linked in the SWAK Challenge. Married ladies only! No Boys Allowed.

Money, Money, Money!

Wouldn't we all like to have more of it rather than less? Money, that is. There's a wonderful passage in Proverbs (30:7-9) that says the following :

Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
⁸Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
⁹That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?"
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? We are echoing this in the Lord's Prayer when we ask for our daily bread. The Lord showed us this graphically when he gave manna to the Israelites--enough for a day on normal days; enough for two days when the following day was the Sabbath.

Money is often a touchy subject, but it seems especially so now. January is always a tight month, coming on the heels of our wildly extravagant American Christmas celebrations; in addition, we're all concerned about the economy.

I thought a little series on budgeting might be timely; I'm intending more to walk through how my little family does the whole budgeting thing--perhaps with insight from Carrie as to how her family does it. You can find all the spreadsheets, formulas, ratios, investment strategies, and the like online or by talking to those in the financial world. We won't be duplicating that here. Instead, we'll just walk you through some of our own day-to-day decisions and strategies so you can see some real world pictures of the various ideas out there.

Our featured resource is a WONDERFUL book that everyone should read: The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (I couldn't figure out how to link the image in the margin to his website, so the margin image is linked to amazon...). Our dad gave Carrie and me each a copy of this a few years ago. Thanks to that book, my husband and I were debt free (excluding our mortgage and a lingering school loan) by the time he graduated from graduate school. We've acquired more debt and are working once again to pay it off (namely, our car and those same lingering school loans). Once you (and your husband) agree to live within your means, then you can work hard towards that goal (Dave R would say "gazelle intensity!"). Couponing, investing, biking to work, etc. will mean nothing unless you are actually working towards a real goal. Make your strategies and sacrifices count!

Above all, remember that our ultimate goal is to glorify the Lord. He is the source of all that we have and will always provide for his children. I'll end with another verse from Proverbs, one that is no doubt much more well known (3:5-6):

⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.