Week Two

Happy Friday!  And Happy Two Weeks on our budget for us!  Well, it's been a little more than 2 weeks, actually, Monday will be 3, but I haven't had a WHOLE lot of time to blog.  The kids are a joy, but the consume pretty much all my time, not that I mind.  :)  I've learned and accepted that certain things will just be taking the backseat for a while.  

Anyhow, this week has been pretty good.  We started off Monday celebrating Tim's birthday a few days early since he had to work on Wednesday evening.  I successfully made ribs for the first time.  They sure turned out pretty well, and I am not a big ribs-fan.

This week, I believe what had been impressed on my heart the most about our budget is how liberating it is to not be a slave to our money.  The Bible says we were placed here to glorify the Lord, and we certainly won't be able to do that if we are fretting about money.  Having a set cash allowance is great.  I know what I have, and once it's gone, it gone, and I have to wait.  I know exactly how much I have, and how much I can spend.  This has definitely kept me in check and not spend out of our means.

The best news is that now that our finances are more in order, it feels GREAT to be able to give our resources away to those who need them more.  I use to always stress when giving money for our tithe or offering.  I would stress knowing that we wouldn't have enough for the rest of the month if we gave XYZ, etc.  I can now say that we have faithfully written out our checks 3 weeks in a row, and it feels GERAT!  I also was able to give a little money to the Haiti fund through our cell phone bill. 

I, by myself, have none of this under control.  It has been through prayer, submission, and trusting God with our finances that things are starting to look up now.  We don't make a lot of money, but I've learned that I really wasn't be as responsible as I thought I was.  When I came to that realization, as much as it hurt, I knew it was a sin that I wasn't being smart and responsible with our finances.

Please keep us in prayer that we continue to discipline ourselves to do what is right.  Recently, I learned of some pretty bad news in regards to our district's budget.  Things do not look good for many people, and several are worried about their jobs.  I, for one, believe that what will happen will be God's will, and we will be brave with whatever challenges we need to face.  However, this goes to show even more, how important it is for our family to save up for a rainy day (Haven't you guys enjoyed the rain this week????).

Well, hope all are off to a great weekend!