God has challenged me to write about how He will supernaturally pay off our mortgage in 5 years. I am a homemaker, my husband is a teacher, and we have three children. Our mortgage balance at the start of this blog is $97,802.62 with a projected payoff date of May 11, 2035.

Sounds foolish, huh? The Bible says that, "...God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;..." So I am choosing to be foolish and trust Him. He's never let me down before.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Running on Empty

Last night we visited some friends of our family, just to hang out and celebrate Christmas with them.  While we were there they gave us back some empty canning jars that were previously filled with jam and applesauce.

Today I went downstairs to put the empty cans back into their storage bin.  Looking inside the bin I thought,  'Wow.  This bin was nearly empty at the end of fall.'  But now it is filling back up with jars enjoyed by either our family or other families.  The empty jars make me anticipate the season in which I can fill them up all over again.

Getting back the empty jars reminded me of the gift of giving to others.  Yes, it takes away from what we have, but still we live in anticipation of emptying ourselves of ourselves so that we can give again.  Why?  Because God provides joy with giving!  We look forward to seeing a need met, a wish fulfilled, and a burden lifted because He has done the very same for us.  What a blessing it is to live this life running on empty!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Second Time Around

On Tuesday we signed paperwork to refinance our mortgage loan with a different bank.  By doing this, we are paying only $12 more each month and the term of our loan is only 15 years as opposed to 30 years.

The reason that we were able to do this with so little effect on our monthly payment is because of interest rates being so low.  Our new loan has an interest rate of 3%.

This is actually our second time refinancing.  The first time we refinanced it was from a standard mortgage to a line of credit (LOC).  We did this because, at that time, rates for LOCs were low.  I remember sitting in the bank office and not understanding much about anything that was being said, the paperwork that we were signing, or the fact that our interest rate may vary.  We were in debt, and trying to save some extra money each month.  My understanding was that doing this would help us and that was all I needed to know.

This time around, I was at the kitchen table with Ross.  The representative went through our paperwork, similarly to how the other one did with our LOC, but this time I felt in control because I understood the terms that she was using.  Ross and I had gone through the school of hard knocks to get out of debt.  As graduates, we were no longer intimidated by money money matters--and boy did it feel good!

When I shared with a friend that we were going to refinance our home, she asked a question that made me think.  "Why are you refinancing when God's going to pay off your mortgage in 5 years?"  Her question arrested me.  Even to hear her say 'God's going to pay off your mortgage in 5 years' stunned me because it made me feel like she believes it more than I do.  There are two things that God showed me as I was pondering her question:

1. I need to believe that He will do what He says He will do
2. Refinancing makes sense because it saves us money while we wait

At the end of our time with the bank representative, she shared that what we were doing was smart because it cuts the term of our loan down to 15 years and will save us a lot of money.  I let her know that yes, we were thankful for the shorter term, but that I am trusting God to pay off our home in five (now four) years.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Road Rave

Our car has been overheating.  Today I called AAA to tow it from our house to the mechanic.  Little did I know that God had a divine appointment in store for me.

The driver arrives, checks my id and membership card, all of the routine stuff.  He tells me that he woofed down his sandwich to come, because my call was right in the middle of his lunch break.  I thanked him for doing that.  We make small talk about where he lives and about his family.  After talking for a while, I bring up someone I thought that we may have as a mutual acquaintance.  He tells me that he knows the person, and I let him know that we go to church together.

We talk about Wyoming, because one of his kids live there, and my brother-in-law used to live there.  Then he shares that he and his wife may move out that way to be closer to their kids.  He tells me that he owns some land out there that his wife doesn't know about.  "I've learned to always be prepared," he tells me.  I ask him if this was because of his past (he shared earlier about an ex-wife) or if that's how he's always been.  He tells me that he's always been that way.  He feels that it is important to always have something 'set back' that he could live off of in case, God forbid, something should happen between he and his wife.

From there, he leans back on his tow truck and gets comfortable.  He tells me that being brought up Catholic, a lot of the Bible was not shared.  In short, he was brought up with lots of rules (his "mom's" Catholic religion) and discipline (his dad's military background).  But it didn't sound like there was much grace.  He said that he has his own way of doing things.  I asked him what that way was.  "I treat other people like I want to be treated.  I try to do the right things."  "That's the Bible," I said.  "That is doing things God's way."

We talked a little bit more about God and then he ended the conversation by saying that it was a pleasure meeting me.  I told him the same.  Walking back into the house, I was overcome by how God was just plopped right into the middle of our conversation!  Bam!  Just like that.  Why was this guy sharing all of his business with me like I was his best friend?  Because of the authority of Jesus.  "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."  Colossians 1:15-17

Why should I be surprised when God takes a conversation in the middle of the road and makes it His own?

Friday, December 14, 2012

Personal Finances Personal Freedom

This morning Morgan and Hunter were packing up for school while listening to the radio.  A commercial came on where a man talked about getting people out of mortgage debt if they called his number.  In the midst of the man talking Hunter says to my husband, "Dad you could be like that guy, helping people with their debt.  Well, you already are that guy because you already do that."

It struck me that our children understand the ministry that we do.  When we first started counseling people about debt issues, we kind of kept the kids out of it because people don't necessarily want other people knowing their business in the first place.  There's a lot of shame and hurt that comes with money matters.  However, eventually we'd let them know when we had a meeting that we were going to talk to this or that person about how to manage their money.  They just see it as a matter-of-fact thing, it's ministry like anything else.

On this same note, I recently made the decision to publish my book (see post here) with Olive Press Publisher.  Words fail to express the significance of this decision.

The manuscript was completed two years ago.  I have sent it out to acquaintances here and there who have requested to read it.  The book never failed to catapult the reader into a season of change.  Because of the words that I wrote, they were compelled to handle their money differently.  WOW!  

The book is called Personal Finances Personal Freedom.  'Personal' because this isn't just a how-to book.  'Personal' because this book is about me, about us, about our family, and what God did to get us out of consumer debt.  'Personal' because it shares our history of managing money poorly.  The beauty of it all is that I wouldn't change any of it.  Our past got us to our present, which I am loving.  Our youngest son was sick at home for an entire week.  If it weren't for our past, I would not be at home available to care for him.  It brings me such joy to be able to share with others the peace that comes with managing money more wisely.

*I will keep you posted on the progress of the book.  As of right now the projected completion month is March.*

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Naughty or Nice

Today while I was upstairs getting ready for church, I heard a noise downstairs.  Didn't really think too much of it because my mind was elsewhere.  Shortly afterwards, our middle son Hunter comes to the bedroom door asking if I can come downstairs.  I tell him not right now because I am getting ready.  He tells me that he needs to show me something.  I ask him to bring it to me.  He says he can't.

Then he proceeds to explain--last evening Ross and I wrapped gifts and put them on the fireplace under the stockings.  Because he saw the wrapped gifts down below, he felt his stocking to see if there was anything inside of it.  In the process of doing this, his stocking holder, which was made of ceramic, fell from the mantle onto the nativity scene, breaking itself and one of the wise men.  As he explained what had transpired, I saw his face was flushed, heard his voice was trembling, and noticed that the tears were starting to fall.

Two months ago, my response would have been naughty.  I would've been angry with him for touching my beautiful decorations instead of keeping his hands to himself.  I would've reminded him that we already had one broken stocking holder that had to be repaired a couple of years ago, and now we have two.  That was then...but this is now.

Today I was nice.  I told him it was okay.  I told him that it was just stuff and stuff is not what's important.  During this time of year when we get so focused on stuff, Hunter needed to know (and I needed to be reminded) that stuff is not the reason for the season--Jesus is.  To yell at my son about a broken wise man is just not wise, man!  I thank God for the grace that he has been teaching me about in these past couple of months to prepare me for this moment and other moments that are to come. 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Thanksgiving Break(Fast)

You can tell it's Thanksgiving Break in the Webb home when the kids are having Coke and Pop Tarts for breakfast. 

Actually this breakfast was quite a deal at $0.88 for a 2-L of Coke (special Black Friday weekend deal) and $0.00 for the Pop-Tarts (given to us by a neighbor).  Bon appetit!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

A Reason to Give Thanks



You’d think it was Christmas Eve.

The atmosphere last night in our home, at our church was electric.

Here at home, we worked alongside each other to prepare the house for Thanksgiving Day guests.  I made up a list of all of the things that I needed help with to get ready.  Our kids would choose something from the list, do it, cross it off, and then choose the next task until all was completed.  The spirit of cooperation, the time in which we got everything done, and the enjoyment that everyone displayed in serving was nothing short of amazing.

Fast forward to Bible study at 7pm.  “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus” kicks off and rounds out a medley of praise songs.  The tempo of that song, its simple tune, and the agreement among those in attendance as to what the words declare, elicit complete participation in the worship experience.  It’s difficult to stop.  However the praise continues by way of the message.  Pastor opens by acknowledging a family that used to be members at DaySpring and were back in town for a visit.  They share about how they were broken as individuals and as a married couple.  But how God healed them through our church’s ministry and now they are leading other married couples to healing.  Incredible.

Before Bible study came to a close, we are charged to get into groups of two adults (sometimes with children in tow as the children were in the sanctuary with us tonight) and share with the other person what we needed to thank God for that we haven’t thanked him for in the past.  This was difficult to do.  Both me and my partner felt that we had given our share of ‘thanks yous’ to God whenever he blessed us.  However it came to my mind that I had not thanked him for all of the hard times.  In the midst of difficulty, I just want God to take it all away.  ‘Make that person think right and act right so that I don’t have to deal with all this mess’ is more of the type of prayer that I might pray.  But what I could be praying is, ‘Thank you Father for the opportunity to learn and grow from this struggle.’  Hard prayer to pray, huh?  Job puts it like this, Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? Job 2:10b.

On the ride home from church, our daughter remarked, “Mom, we’ve never had such an eventful night at church before a holiday before.”  In my mind the night wasn’t necessarily eventful, it was exciting, but I guess her word choice confused me.  “What was eventful about it?” I asked.  She answered, “The Redcross’s were in town…” then she kind of trailed off realizing that there was only that one thing to be noted.  I just kind of let it go, happy that she was feeling good about the evening.

Tucking the boys into bed, our youngest recited a prayer about being happy it was Thanksgiving tomorrow with intonations of joy and giddiness all at the same time.  I thought in my mind, ‘They are not falling asleep anytime soon.’  Sure enough after being downstairs for about 15 minutes then heading up to bed myself, I listen in on the commotion coming from their room.  They are delighting in making various volumes of farting noises for one another.  I decide to let them have their fun and not intervene.

It finally dawned on me today, this Thanksgiving Day, that last night my children were sensing the Holy Spirit of God.  What Morgan tried to verbally share, the “wired” condition of the boys in their room—we experienced our own Pentecost here in the Webb household.  As I sit at my computer typing this up with the light of dawn breaking on Thanksgiving Day, God has given me yet another reason to give thanks.

Monday, November 19, 2012

This is How We do It

Upon beginning our journey to become consumer-debt free back in 2006, Ross and I started by talking about the things that we valued.  Yes, we wanted to be out of debt, but as individuals and as a couple, there were some non-negotiables that we chose not to do without.  For example, we were going to continue to get our hair professionally done.  No bowl haircuts or boxed hair relaxers.  Hair would stay in the budget. 

Another non-negotiable that we decided upon was a quarterly getaway for the two of us.  This is a must.  Yes, we have date night and that is great.  But there is something so freeing about being away from home (not just around the corner) for days (rather than hours) alone together that caused us both to recognize that regular getaways are not just a want but a need for our marriage.  I thought I would share with you how we make that happen by writing about our weekend away.  This is how we do it...

One of our regular getaways this time of year is to State College, PA to take in a Penn State football game.  On the way up we traditionally eat dinner at a BBQ restaurant with a breathtaking view called "Skeeters".  The food is fabulous and best of all reasonably priced.  This BBQ is worth the drive. 

Because of it being a game weekend, the hotels surrounding the college are either typically full or insanely priced.  So we stay about an hour or so away from the campus.  We use a site called Roomsaver.com  You type in where you are looking to stay, and it provides a list of hotels in that area with special discounted rates.  We always try to stay somewhere with a breakfast buffet to save on food.  There were about four places to choose from, and we chose the Holiday Inn Express.  Although it was the priciest of the four, hotels are a commodity that I DO NOT like to compromise on.  I want a hotel to look and feel as comfortable, accommodating, and clean as if I were staying at a friend's home. 

At the football game, we did splurge and purchase a mug with hot chocolate, some bottled water, nachos, and a soft pretzel.  The prices make me cringe.  But I feel free to spend because we were using money from our vacation savings for its very purpose--vacation!

Before we left home, Ross looked up some restaurant deals at restaurant.com in the State College area.    We printed out the one that showed promise--Pita Cabana Cafe, a Lebanese restaurant.  Delicious does not even begin to describe what we experienced.  The style of food is like Chipoltle where you get a rice bowl, salad, or pita then pick your proteins and toppings.  Well, here the toppings were tabouli, hummus, tahini, tzatziki sauce, and all kinds of other wonderful, exotic, flavor-filled delights.  Every bite of my rice bowl was a taste of heaven, and everyday eating will pale in comparison from here on out.  Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a tad, but suffice it to say I LOVED the food!

After eating, we made a stop to pick up a few things at the new Trader Joe's and afterwards decided to drive back home for our final night.  Although we could've done another hotel, we took a couple of things into consideration.  First, our son had been away camping for the weekend and was coming back on Sunday at noon.  Therefore, we would need to come home much more quickly than we normally would from one of our trips.  Second, we will be going away to see Ross's parents in December and the money that we saved on a hotel would be able to go towards this trip for gas and miscellaneous expenses. 

We got home late, slept, leisurely woke up (such a treat), Ross cooked breakfast (another treat) and washed the dishes (what did I do to deserve such royal treatment?), and then we fell asleep on the couch until it was time to pick up our son.  Oh, and did I mention that I got two pairs of shoes for under $9 at the Shoe Department while we were away?

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

What's For Lunch?

Recently a discount bread store in our area closed down.  In this store, I could get 4 bags of bagels, 6 loaves of bread, two 12-packs of hot dog buns, and two 12-packs of hamburger buns all for under $10.  I knew that their closure would drastically affect our grocery budget.  The store was truly a hidden gem.

Concurrently, my kids had begun tiring of lunch meat sandwiches.  My husband was fine with them, but the kids had begun to complain about them, not to mention the fact that I was having a tough time finding a good price on lunch meat even at the discount store that I frequent.  Because of these recent developments, I began seeking out alternative ideas for school lunches.

Our oldest son Hunter has been really into soups.  Especially Ramen Noodle Soup.  So I found a thermos for him at the Goodwill (a steal at only $1.97) and he's been taking soup for lunches.  I couldn't believe that it actually stays hot until his lunch time! Shortly after this, a friend shared with me that her kids pack salads for lunch.  She buys romaine lettuce at Sam's (which lasts them a week in bulk) and then gets various toppings for the kids to add to it.  Before going grocery shopping that day I emailed my husband to ask if he'd be willing to try salads for a week and see how it goes.  He emailed me back specifically stating that he would be willing to try for one week.

The kids were home from school so I took all of them along with me to shop.  They were great helpers picking out and making suggestions for salad toppings.  After all of the shopping was said and done, our toppings included: olives, bacon bits, chick peas, imitation crab meat, summer sausage, oyster crackers, shredded cheese, carrots, and a myriad of salad dressings.  I made my husband a salad the following day and he told me that it was 'really good'.  Actually he's been telling me that every day since I started making him salads for lunch :-) 

For snacks everyone has been taking:

Apples--we got a 1/2 bushel of apples from a place called Paulus Orchards near Ski Roundtop, about 1/2 hour from Harrisburg.  You can get their "seconds" (what they consider not the best of the best, but really you can't tell the difference) of any type of in season apples for $8.00.  We keep them out in our garage so that they stay cold and keep.  Not enough room in the fridge for all of those!

Yogurt--at Sharp Shopper (my favorite discount grocery store) you can get the individual ones four for a dollar.  Or you can get a large 32oz. container of vanilla yogurt for 50 cents.  You cannot beat these prices.

Tangy Oyster crackers--Oyster crackers are 25 cents for a 12 oz. bag.  Recently Ross came up with the idea of seasoning them with a little olive oil and some spices.  Then he lays them out on a baking sheet and cooks them for a couple of minutes in the oven.  This takes those bland crackers and kicks them up a notch.  You can then take them and add pretzels or peanuts to make them into a snack mix.

I hope that these ideas are helpful and healthful for you and your family.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Worth the Wait

Bed time can be relentless.

I am a morning person...at times a 5:00 in the morning person.  Waking up that early means that at the end of the day (and sometimes before the end of the day) I am spent.  But before I can put myself to bed, I need to put the kids to bed.  Hence my opening statement.

Ross and I share this responsibility.  Most times we'll ask each child who they want to tuck them into bed--Mommy or Daddy.  I was recently joking with a girlfriend of mine about how this is one time that I wish I were not so popular!  "Mommy" is often the response from the kids after which they kiss Daddy good night and my wait begins.

What exactly is the wait you ask?  The wait is the period of time between each child going upstairs and actually being ready to be tucked in.  Sometimes, I know exactly what they are doing during the wait.  Brushing teeth, going to the bathroom, changing into pjs.  But in the case of my daughter, it seems like an unsolved mystery. It may have been a good 15 minutes since she's gone upstairs.  Naturally, I assume that she must have done all she needed to do in that time to be prepared for bed.  I knock on her door.

"Morgan, are you ready to be tucked in?"

"Uh, almost," is usually the response I receive.

"Did you use the bathroom yet?"

"No, not yet."

Ugh!  That means at least another 10 minutes between washing, brushing, etc.  This was the case last evening at bedtime.  I sat on my bed.  My side was turned back, the extra fuzzy blanket I use now that we've been having colder nights was in place.  The only thing missing was me all snuggled into the empty linens. 

As I sat waiting, my mind started thinking about the future.  Started thinking about Morgan dating, Morgan getting married.  I don't want her to succumb to the belief that she is not important enough to wait on.  I want her to feel now, especially as a young woman, that she is worth the wait, worth the time--worth my wait and worth my time. 

Hearing the bathroom door handle, brought me back to present day.  As I heard her approaching my room, I put on a pleasant face to greet her as she stepped into my doorway declaring, "Ready for bed."

Putting her to bed last night, I lingered.  Usually I provide a kiss on the cheek after prayers and high tail it out of there to get to bed or whatever task I have for that evening.  Instead I told her how proud I am of her.  How she even as a young lady has a reputation of kindness and integrity.  How much I love her.  

Monday, October 15, 2012

Finding Hidden Money

Last evening Ross and I had the awesome opportunity to speak with a group about how we got out of consumer debt.  In just under two years, we were able to pay off over $44,000 worth of money owed to creditors.  The reactions expressed last evening when we shared the amount of debt and the timeline until it was paid off, served as a reminder to me that our story is truly a miracle of God.  In the same way, because it is a miracle, He can do it in anyone's life.  Including yours.

One of the topics of discussion was how to find hidden money.  Once found, this money can be put away into savings--a savings of $1000 to be exact.  This cash reserve provides a relief fund for the unexpected expenses that arise in life.  Having this money helps to prevent one from taking on more debt and continuing the vicious cycle of funding expenses with credit.

I thought it would be handy to list some sources of hidden money for you to consider if you, too, are in a season of wanting to demolish the debts that you owe.  If this is helpful to you, or if you have additional suggestions, please feel free to comment.  Thanks for reading!

  • Spare change--Lots of people let loose change accumulate in their car, on their counter tops, and in other places.  Take this found money to your bank's coin counting machine and cash in!
  • Late fees--Avoid them by paying your bills on time.  Our late fees would set us back $35 a pop.  My guess is that they are a lot more hefty nowadays.
  • Add money to your monthly budget by taking as many exemptions as possible.  You can do this by working with your employer's HR personnel.  Your goal should be to not owe income taxes and to receive a smaller income tax return because more of that money is staying in your paycheck.
  • Buy term insurance instead of whole life.  Term is cheap.  Whole life tends to be more expensive because it serves as an insurance and an investment.  When you are in debt, your immediate goal is not to invest--it is to get out of debt.
  • Decrease your car travel.  Living in Harrisburg, I know many people who have ties to Philadelphia and will go there regularly to visit loved ones and to shop at places they like.  I'm proposing that unnecessary trips be eliminated so as to minimize gas expenses.
  • Sell your stuff!  The new dress that's been in your closet for five years, the old baseball cards, the framed art from your Aunt Martha gathering dust in the basement...there are people out there willing to pay for your it.  Craigslist, eBay, and even a site on Facebook allow you to sell your items without having to arrange for a yard sale.
  • Don't buy fundraisers (temporarily at least).  Remember you are in debt--you need to be the fund raiser :-)
  • Work to minimize your utility costs.  Our utility's website provided a breakdown of our home's energy allocations and suggestions for decreasing our bill by making simple changes in our house.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

One Small Step for Man...

Looking at my fireplace today, I was reminded of when our daughter was a baby.  Built out from the floor of the fireplace is a ledge of bricks about four feet in length and maybe 2 inches high. 

As new parents we were determined to keep her away from that ledge.  Our minds swirled as we envisioned our beautiful baby girl with a big, ugly gash on her head from falling onto those bricks.  But try as we might, she would always find her way back to them.

One day, much to our surprise, she stepped up onto the ledge of bricks, and then stepped down off of them!  Because she was still pretty clumsy at walking, this was a major feat for her--and we let her know it.  We applauded as if she had just performed her first piano concerto.  And, like most kids, she offered the courtesy of performing encore after encore to sounds of our applause.

I thought today about how things would have been different if we had kept her away from the bricks, the hard things.  She wouldn't have developed in her mobility skills as quickly as she did.  She wouldn't have the confidence that she did to even try to maneuver herself down from those bricks.  In the same way, the contact that we have in our lives with hard things (our bricks) cause us to grow and develop in godliness.  Yes, it can be scary to us and to others.  But when we take those small steps to mature in our faith, God moves in leaps and bounds in our lives.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Day Out with Daughter

Our school district had the day off yesterday for Yom Kippur so I made plans to go shopping with my daughter Morgan.  She has grown a lot since last year and most of her fall/winter clothes no longer fit.  It amazes me to look at pictures of her from 2 summers ago because she must have shot up at least 5 inches since that time.  Incredible!

I told Morgan that we would go out to breakfast at a bagel shop down the hill from where we live.  Now, my daughter loves milk.  And if they did have milk there, I didn't want to pay almost $2 for it.  So I ask her if she'd like to take some milk along with her in a water bottle. 

"Do they have milk there?" she asks.
"I don't know," I respond.  "I know that they have coffee, but I'm not sure if they have a refrigerator case with other drinks like milk."
"No that's okay.  I'm gonna wait and see if they have milk there."

I had set a budget for what I wanted to spend for breakfast.  My budget was $10 or less.  Now in my mind I'm calculating what I would need to spend for breakfast--with milk.  As my mind was racing and finagling, God told me to relax. 

'This is a day out with your daughter.  You have the money.  Spend it and enjoy your time together.'

'Okay,' I thought, 'I can do this.'

We went to the bagel store, she got the milk, we both got bagel sandwiches and spent only eight dollars and some change.  God had blessed me in spite of my selfishness and worry.  Holding on to what I had served only to stress me out.  It was only when I let go of what I had that God blessed me with what only He can do.

Monday, September 24, 2012

The End of an Era

I knew the day would come.  Just didn't know the day would be today.

I should have known.  In fact a couple of weeks ago when I was wrapping up some food, I sensed that something was going to change.  I could see its core, and that wasn't normal. 

For five years I just counted on it being there.  There was so much of it, you see.  Maybe deep down inside, I felt that it would never end.

But today when I went to cover up three bowls, it was clear.

First bowl--is it just me or is this plastic wrap kind of wrinkly?

Second bowl--ugh, we're definitely nearing the end of the line.

Third bowl--no wrap remaining.  Just the bare, empty, brown, roll.  The bulk plastic wrap that we have had since the summer of 2007 was gone...in an instant...without so much as a farwell.

Will we replace it, you ask?  How do you replace 5 years of memories?  Meals wrapped up for dinner guests.  Pesto secured in the freezer with its protective barrier.  Makeshift ice packs for children's boo-boos.  It takes time to heal. 

But with time, I believe that we may be strong enough to make the trip to Costco, pick up another Kirkland Signature plastic wrap from the shelves, and allow it to grace our kitchen countertop once again.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Anniversary

It has been one year since I began blogging My Mortgage Miracle.  Our mortgage balance is currently ninety-five thousand and some odd dollars.  Still a way to go, and still plenty of time for God to work.

We have recently made the decision to look into refinancing our home.  Interest rates are so low (around 3%) that we can now take out a 15-year mortgage and have the same payment as we have on our current 30-year mortgage.  Pretty much a no-brainer, huh?  Right now we are researching to see which bank would best suit our needs.

The primary reason for this blog is for you and me to witness the miracle of God paying off our mortgage in five years or less.  However, life happens during the wait.  And I've come to discover that everyday life is a miracle.  Watching God intertwine my life into the lives of others is an even bigger miracle than anything He could ever do financially in my life.  I love to see Him display His power, and I love it even more when He uses me (little 'ole me!) to do His work.  For this reason, posts incorporate our family, grocery shopping, cooking, or helping a stranger get to his destination.  It is in the ordinary that God does the extraordinary.

Thank you for reading and I pray that it will lead to believing.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Gaining in the Wait

Ross received a raise for the 2012-2013 school year.  His school district doesn't give performance raises, but instead he receives increases in salary based on what "step" he is on in his teaching career.  I believe it factors in years of service, degrees earned, and credits taken.  His raise has him making $4000 more than he was last year--that's significant and certainly timely for us.  Allow me to explain.

In my book Personal Finances Personal Freedom, I wrote about how every month when we sit down to plan our finances for the next month, we always take into consideration the "God Factor" (I'll use GF for short).  The GF is realizing that although on the spreadsheet may things look tight, we cannot forget about what miracle God is going to work in order to allow us to end the month in the black.  When we sit down to pray for our finances for the upcoming month, we are expecting God to provide for what He wants us to do with His money.  Time and time again, money will come in from unexpected resources, expenses that we thought we would have were not needed after all, and the list goes on.  So we know that it is not us doing the providing, it is Him and always has been.

We are currently looking into making some changes with our insurance that will increase our monthly spending budget.  So this raise comes right on time and helps us to see that making the insurance change is what God wants us to do--because He provided the money to do it!

So I celebrate not only the raise, but also the contentment that God has given us with the money that we have been living on these past few years.  Ten years ago, I couldn't say that we were content with the money that we had.  And at that time we were both employed.  Our focus was on looking like everybody else--wearing their clothes, driving their cars, and living in their houses.  Now we realize that doing those things is a surefire recipe for being disappointed and broke!  We now have one income, less money, and loads more peace.  The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:6,

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

I am thankful to God for what we have gained in the wait.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

The M&M Challenge

Our son Hunter has taken a recent interest in Tae Kwon Do ever since being in a week long TKD camp over the summer.  He's been asking since then to take lessons and begin the trek towards black belt.  We've shared with him that the cost of classes is more than what our budget allows for right now, so he would need to find a way to contribute to the cost.

His allowance alone would not be enough, he already knew that.  So he began thinking of other ways to finance the class.  One day at the dollar store he was looking at candy and came across the M&Ms.  Reading one of the wrappers, he saw that he could win $100,000 if he got the M&M package with all brown candy in it.  He asked if we could buy him the bag of candy so that he could win the money, pay for Tae Kwon Do lessons, and get a whole bunch of other things, too.  We gave the typical parent answer of, "No, these contests are just made to get you to spend your money and the chances of you winning are one in a million."  A few days later, however, I started thinking...

Why not let him try?  So we set up the "M&M Challenge".  Hunter will buy (with his money) one pack of M&M candy every week to see if he is a winner.  The stipulations are that he cannot eat all of the candy himself (he needs to share it with others) and he has to write about it on his blog.  You can follow it here http://readhardstudyhard.blogspot.com/  Rather than shoot down his dreams, we are going to let him go for it and present him with a learning opportunity--win or lose. 

Friday, August 31, 2012

Lost and Found

Today I ran a marathon of errands with my sister.  We started at 9am and didn't get done until after 2pm.  Needless to say by the end of the day I was spent.

On the road that I came to after her house, a car was stopped in front of me.  It had a Maryland license plate and the driver was asking a school crossing guard for directions.  I waited, trying to be as patient as possible, while the guard pointed out the way the way that the driver should go.

It wasn't long after receving directions from the crossing guard that the driver pulled over enough to let me pull up beside him and rolled down his window. 

"How do I get to 83?"

I was so tired from going in and out of stores, in and out of the heat that I just wanted to take the most direct route home.  But the spirit of God spoke to me to help this man out.  I simply said,

"Follow me."

And follow me he did.  Trusting that I was leading him the right way.  We went through the city, into the suburbs, on past a commercial area, and finally to the highway.  As I led him I kept thinking, 'I hope he doesn't lose hope thinking he won't get to where he's trying to go.' 'I hope he trusts me to get him to his destination.' 

Once we made it to the point where I had to part ways with him, I pointed in the direction of the sign that read "83" so that he could veer off.  As he passed me on the right, he smiled and waved a 'thank you', happy to be on his way.

As all of this was occuring, I couldn't help but think about the sovereignty of God.  He timed my errands just right so that I could help this lost man to find his way.  In the same way, everything in our lives is timed and planned out by the Master so that His will is done.  I am so thankful for being used today for something so simple that made a difference in the life of another.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

A Woman After My Own Heart

Had to post a link to this story about a woman who has not bought anything new for the past five years.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/48678819/ns/today-money/t/could-you-go-years-without-anything-new-mom-did

She does make some exceptions including underwear and food.  However, mostly she shops at thrift stores, gets things for free, and borrows or shares with others.  Let me know what you think!

The Harvest

Most mornings when I walk, I bring along a scripture card.  Today's verse was Hebrews 12:11.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

In meditating on that scripture (in other words, not simply reading it for memory, but reading it for change), I started remembering what life was like while we were working to get out of debt.  We committed to pinching pennies, cutting back on spending, and living a "bare bones" lifestyle.  The discipline of that was painful.  I made decisions to not spend time with particular people because that time would involve money.  I can remember several meals of rice, beans, and cheese.  When child friends would come to us asking us to buy whatever fundraising product they were selling, we had to tell those sweet little faces 'no'.  But later on...

We are able to give to others while still meeting our own needs.  There is savings in place for emergencies and beyond.  I have been able to leave my job to be a homemaker.  But best of all, the discipline has trained us how to spend money well.  We go out to eat, but we use half price deals.  We buy clothes, but hardly ever at retail price.  Doing the hard things 'at the time' develops righteousness and peace 'later on'. 

I encourage you to work at whatever difficult task God has appointed for you at this time knowing that later on, the harvest will be well worth it.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Disney Delayed

Tonight at dinner we dropped the bomb on our kids.  After much prayer, planning, and crunching of numbers, we made the decision to not take a trip to Disney World that we had been planning for September.

Needless to say they were disappointed, but thankfully not crushed.  We explained to them that we would have to spend money that currently goes towards our "extras" for the next 3 months--and that was not even factoring in meals for the trip.  For us to decide to just go anyway would be irresponsible to them as parents.  We'd already done irresponsible in the beginning of our marriage and don't want to go there again.

Going through this has reminded me of how grateful I am for all that God has taught us about money in the process of getting rid of our consumer debt.  We know that there is a satisfcation in saving up for something and waiting on it.  That is our plan for Disney.  We've told the kids to be saving for when that time comes, as well reminding them that 'no' for now can mean 'better' for later.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

A Lesson Learned

Yesterday I went on some errands with my two sons.  Our first stop was at the ATM machine to deposit some money that we had withdrawn, but ended up not spending.  My oldest son asked, “Mom, how come you’re putting your money back into the bank?  Why don’t you just keep it out?”
I shared with him about how when a person has money with them, the temptation is to spend it.  But if money is kept in the bank, the inconvenience of having to get it out of the bank tends to override the desire to spend it.  Out of sight, out of mind.  He seemed to get it.
While we were out, we shopped for new sneakers for this same son.  Ross and I had budgeted to spend $25 because, believe it or not, there are still sneakers out there that you can get for $25.  Anything above that amount and our son would foot the rest of the bill.
When he did find the sneakers that fit him well and that he liked, they were $30.  I persuaded him to go to one more shoe store a few doors up to see if they might have a better price.  They did, have a better price, a price so good that he would not have had to pay any money towards the shoes and we would have been under our $25 budget.  However, he was set on having the $30 shoes.  So we went back to the previous store.
The cashier who rang up our purchase told us that if we became a member of their rewards club, we could get an additional 5% off of our purchase.  I said, “Sure!”  So instead of having to spend his whole $5 that he had brought with him, our son only had to spend $2.50.  Guess what he did?  Immediately he began to look around for what else he could buy to go with the shoes—socks, shoelaces, etc.  I chuckled to myself and reminded him of the temptation of having money with you that we had discussed only an hour earlier.  “Oh, yeah,” he remembered.  He got it.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

About Face

Last week our middle son Hunter went away to boy scout camp.  He was gone for six days.  Six days of independence for an almost eleven-year old--yikes!  Needless to say, he was excited about being away with the older boys and the scout leaders.

We went up to visit him the evening before the last day of camp for "Family Night".  It was a rainy day and all of the scouts were gathered under a pavilion outside of the dining hall.  I anxiously scanned through all of the faces in uniform trying to make out my son so that I could hug him.  I hadn't realized until that moment how much I missed having him home.  My eyes finally landed on his face, he was chatting it up with the other boys, ball cap turned backwards.  He hadn't seen us yet.

After a couple of minutes, he looks over at me, then looks at Ross.  Immediately he turns his baseball cap forward, and comes over to greet us.  Once we reunited I realized the impact that his dad, my husband, has on him.  He knows that Dad does not allow him and his brother to wear their caps backwards.  It's just how he rolls.  As a teacher and coach he knows that impressions are important.  So to see Hunter do an about face when Dad rolled on the scene was pretty cool.  It demonstrated his submission to Ross's authority over the independence that he was enjoying away from home.  In other words, 'Scout camp is over and boot camp is about to begin!'

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Put Your Money Where Your Faith Is

Recently a friend of mine was sharing with me about some of the changes she has been making to get her finances in order.  I talked with her about tithing and how it demonstrates to God that we have faith in Him to provide for us.  This was the challenge I put before her--begin tithing off of any extra money that you take in (overtime, gifts, etc.)  I wanted her to begin the practice of tithing and put her faith to the test.

She began doing this and felt good about doing it.  But she didn't stop there.  Just this week we talked and she let me know that for the first time ever she tithed off of her income as well.  She said that it felt scary giving such a big amount, but it also felt wonderful because she was doing what God wanted her to do.

That about sums up having faith in God.  It does feel scary to do something that our nature doesn't feel right about.  But the spirit of God inside of us is yearning to do His will.  So when we do it, it's like there's this big sigh of relief that everything is going to be okay.  I am so proud of my friend.  For the longest time her heart's desire has been to move out of her mom's house and have a place of her own for her and her little boy.  The Bible tells of so many stories where God provided for people because of their faith in Him.  I believe that my friend will be able to join the saints with her own testimony of God's provision in no time.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Out of Sorts

Summer time has been a great time for us to reconnect as a family.  However, it has been a struggle for me in regards to my individual routine.  Because everyone is home at the same time, I have neglected my morning disciplines of exercise and time alone with God.

Just this week I have been recharged by getting back into the routine of how I do things during the school year.  Doing this has left me feeling refreshed and has decreased the anxieties that were beginning to build up. 

Have you ever thought you were hungry, but really you were thirsty?  You try and try to find just the right food to satisfy your need, but nothing seems to fit the bill because water is what you need.  In the same way, when I am away from my routine, I try and find satisfaction in other areas.  I do things around my home, spend time with the kids, watch a movie with Ross, or listen to music.  But I still feel out of sorts because I am thirsty--thirsty for God's presence.  Everything else is filler, it doesn't last long nor does it quench my true need.

I have been reading the book of Isaiah.  It recounts how God's people have repeatedly hungered after other gods instead of quenching their thirst with the Living God.  The book reveals that although punishment will be a consequence, so will grace.  God will love His people still and protect them from harm.  I am in awe that I can shirk my responsibilities to the Creator of this world, and yet He obligates Himself to fulfill His promises to me.  This truly is amazing grace.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Random Acts of Kindness

Yesterday we cut back our daisies that are growing in the front yard.  They were my mother's day gift from last year and as beautiful as they are, they were in desperate need of a trimming.  So my husband cut them back, and had the idea of tying them into dozens and giving them to people in our neighborhood.

Two of our kids, along with a neighbor kid, took the flowers around to different people they saw out walking, as well as people who we know in the neighborhood.  It was cool to hear the comments that people made over such a simple thing as receiving some cut flowers. 

One woman who my son gave flowers to said that daisies were her favorite flower (perfect!)  Another woman who my daughter talked to said that this was the best thing that's happened to her in a long time (can you imagine?)  There was a man who playfully asked, "What am I supposed to do with these?" to which the kids answered, "Stick 'em in water and put them on your table!"  My daughter and her friend were approaching one house with flowers when they looked in the front window and saw a woman holding up daisies, pointing to them with a smile as if to say, 'Your brother beat you here!'

Certainly a reminder of how a simple, free gift can create happy hearts.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Rest of the Story

Personal Finances Personal Freedom is a book that chronicles the story of a family getting out of over $40,000 worth of debt in just under two years.  It speaks candidly of the misconceptions that led this married couple into paying for a lifestyle way beyond their means.  In the end, they realized their love of money was beginning to affect the well-being of their children.  This revelation led to them making the major decision to bust out of consumer debt.  To make a long story short, God blessed them to pay off their debt years before what they had originally projected.

This is our story.  Personal Finances Personal Freedom is my book.  However you will not find it on-line or at a bookstore--yet.  God has not yet spoken to me as to how to go about getting it out into the hands of others, and I am adamant that I am going to wait to hear from Him.  I have begun to wonder recently if the reason He hasn't released me to print the book is because the story is not finished.  I finished writing the book, but maybe God hasn't writing finished the story.  And maybe us getting our mortgage paid off is going to complete the story, showing everyone who reads the book what a mighty God we serve.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Latest Craze--Addendum

Please check out the link below which features a Focus on the Family article about video games.  Many comments follow after the article.  What are your thoughts?

http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/blogs/Finding_Home/2012/05/16/do-you-let-your-children-play-video-games

Monday, May 28, 2012

The Latest Craze

On Saturday Ross and I had a "date day".  He asked if I wanted to go to yard sales together during our time.  His suggestion was meant to bless me because, of the two of us, yard sales are more of my thing.  So after going out to breakfast, we spent our entire date going to people's homes and looking at the unwanted things in their front yards.  Pretty romantic if you ask me :-)

A few days before we went, I checked out the newspaper and Craig's List to map out our time.  A couple of the destinations I looked at listed video game players like Kinect that were being sold.  Our children don't have any video game consoles or Nintendo DS or Ipods or cell phones.  They are 6, 10, and 12 years old.  Believe me, we do hear about it.  Our middle son has come home in a huff saying that he's bored because he doesn't have any handheld games like the other kids.  Our oldest daughter was relentlessly praying for a Iphone (preferably green) for her 12th birthday, and our youngest asks about going over to the neighbor's to "play with him" (which translates into playing video games with him).  Needless to say, my mind has volleyed back and forth between the pros and cons of getting them some of these electronic devices.  So when I saw these items advertised, I have to admit that there was a "maybe" in my head.

Well, instead of electronic items, we ended up buying a brain teaser book, books for the 6 year old, and a few board games.  To say that they have been enjoying our purchases is an understatement.  One game in particular, Stratego, is a favorite.  All of the kids, even the youngest, have been obsessed with the game.  The best part is that it takes 2 people to play the game.  So they have to communicate, interact, and participate with another person in order to experience the enjoyment of the game.  Unfortunately, too many devices in our world today promote isolation instead of fellowship.  I'm thankful that board games and books are still the latest craze in the Webb household.



Memorial Day ~ Morgan

When I think about Memorial Day, I think about how the soldiers are like us Christians. We both fight for a better place. We both have "presidents". But, in the end we all die. We fall into the hands of the enemy or to fall into a hands of a loved one. And I realize a friend could go to hell because I didn't offer an invitation to Jesus.    Amen and have a blessed day.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhJpYzJ8rhM

                           ~End transmission~

Memorial Day--Hunter

What I said about Memorial Day was that soldiers dying for us is like Jesus dying to allow us to be free, and be able to go to heaven when we die. Jesus also died to free us from the law, just as soldiers can die for us to protect us from other countries who try to destroy us.

Memorial Day--Blaise

I want to give the soldiers beef jerky.  they would like it.  i ilke it to     i the blaiser will come back.  i  need you to win.

Memorial Day

Today at the breakfast table I asked the kids if they knew why we celebrate Memorial Day.  Blaise answered that we celebrate it to remember the presidents like Lincoln.  Morgan and Hunter answered that we celebrate it to remember the soldiers that died to serve us.  Then I asked them if they knew of someone else who was like a soldier, sacrificing life to serve others.  The 3 posts that follow are their responses.  Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Crevice Tool

Yesterday the weather started out in the low 60s, so I planned to take on the task of washing the van later on in the day.  However, later in the day it was much cooler and the sky looked like rain was on the way.  So instead I decided that I would vacuum the inside of the van, a task which I could abruptly conclude if the weather did not cooperate.

It had probably been more than six months since the van was last vacuumed.  I found french fries, gravel, scraps of paper, a Canadian coin, and other hidden "treasures" all throughout the vehicle.  The debris was everywhere, including underneath nooks and inside little crannies that could not easily be reached.

'Now where's my crevice tool?' I thought.  The crevice tool is a long, thin, attachment on my vacuum with a narrow slit-like opening.  It can reach inside all of those tight spots and get out everything that's hiding.  Even when I don't see the debris with my own eyes, I can shove the crevice tool in there and it sucks it out everytime without fail.

Did you know that the word of God is our crevice tool as Christians?  Hebrews 4:12-13 says,

For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-eged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

God sees everything and His word reveals that which is in us that we do not see or that we choose to ignore.  Have you ever heard a minister or other Christian speaker preach and wonder, 'How did they know I was struggling with that?' or 'Did my friend tell the preacher about me?'  When a message is spoken using the word of God, it's like my crevice tool.  It gets to your innermost self and reveals truth.  The beautiful part of all this is that when we acknowledge the truth and do what God is telling us to do, we will be set free.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Student-Teacher

My daughter has been wanting a cell phone for some time now.  Ross and I are not feeling it.  We don't believe that she needs one until she is driving.  Nevertheless, she asked me if it would be okay for her to pray for a cell phone.  I told her that she certainly could, as God tells us to come to Him with our desires so that He can answer us.

Every time she prays she asks for God to get her a cell phone and more recently the request has become more specific in asking for an iphone.  Yesterday, Morgan and I had time alone together for lunch and some shopping.  I shared with her a few verses including Matthew 7:9-11 and James 1:17 which both talk about our Father giving "good gifts".  I shared with her that although she wants and is praying for an iphone, she may not receive it from God if it is not a "good gift" for Morgan.  She understood, but is continuing to pray, now asking that she would receive it for her birthday which is next month.

Last week, I was out and about at the Salvation Army store and saw these beautiful vases that would be just perfect for my dining room corner cabinet.  I didn't have the money to get them at the time, so I moved them around away from each other so that no one else would come along, realize how well they go together, and pick them up before I was able to come back for them!  Today I had some time to kill in the morning and thought about taking a little money from here and a little money from there to pay for them.  Then guess what came into my mind?  "Every good and perfect gift comes from above..."  (James 1:17)  I thought, 'No, Lord!  I don't want to hear that now!  I want to get my vases!'  But He was clear.  I need to wait and put it in the May budget.  Yes, even second-hand decor goes into the budget.  It sounds trite, but if I splurge on this, I'll splurge on a dress and a pair of shoes, too.  Today God took the teacher and made her the student.

Friday, April 20, 2012

The Chance--Update

People have been asking me about the writing contest for which I submitted an entry.  Well, I knew before this but received the official letter in the mail yesterday saying that I did not win.  Nevertheless I am still thankful that I tried.  The good news is that I also received a 30 dollar check in the mail.  Isn't it just like God to provide an anesthetic for our hurts?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Spring Break?

For the past 6 days (4 of which were school days) our kids have been off for Spring Break.  This has been the first time in a long while that they have had the entire break, because snow make-up days would always eat away at the time they were scheduled to have off.  But because we've had such a mild winter, they were able to have almost a whole week of time at home.

What I came to realize over those 6 days was that their Spring Break was not a break for me.  I thought it would be.  I imagined our happy family nestled inside our happy home having a happy time together.  But it was quite the opposite.  The first few days we all had to adjust to each other being home at the same time for such a long period of time.  Then, intermingled with this, were multiple activities and errands which required racing from here to there.  Normally I love running errands because I love the thrill of coordinating where to go, the best route to take to get there, and all of the other things I can get accomplished while I am out.  However, when you have three children to consider as you move about, those "extra" stops become negotiable.  It's just too much for them to handle.

It's funny because when people ask me why I stopped working, I tell them "to be home for my kids".  Initially I believed this to be the whole truth.  Being a homemaker allows me to be in their schools, be there to see them onto and off of the bus, pick them up when they are sick, etc.  But the bigger reason that I am home is because of me.  It is because I am ineffective at working a 9-5 job and a 24-hour job at the same time.  The Spring Break proved this to me loud and clear.  I love my kids, but I also love my time at home without them.  There, I said it...is that so wrong?  The "job" that I do here while they are in school frees me up to give them time and attention when they are at home. 

Yesterday was the last day at home for the kids.  Today my Spring Break starts up again...

Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Sky's the Limit--Hunter's thoughts

HI! :-)
This is Hunter, and I want to tell you about a special treat we got.  We went to Costco, and were able to pick what we wanted to have for dinner.   Also,it was great, because no matter the price, no matter what it was, (except some things mom mentioned earlier) we could choose-well,anything!  (I said I wanted a flat-screen TV,but you can't eat that) When mom & dad told us at lunchtime,I already knew what I wanted.  When I was sick about two weeks ago, mom got the mail and I saw a coupon magazine for Costco products.  I saw a coupon that showed a big jar of Jelly Belly jelly beans, and I was like,"I want those," so today I took advantage of that, and got the Jelly beans I longed for.  The whole family (even mom [cough,cough]) enjoyed them.  It had 49 flavors, including: Dr.Pepper, A&W Root Beer & Cream Soda, and Sunkist flavors too, like orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, lemon, and lime.  The yuckiest one is Cappuccino (Yucchy).  I am just happy to have what I got this evening. 

The Sky's the Limit--Morgan's thoughts

Hello world!!!!! I feel famous being the daughter of someone with a blog, that numerous people read. I'm so excited 4 the world 2 meet meeeee!!!! (Morgan <3 ).

       
      Anywayyys, (I try 2 stay focused but, it usually doesn't work. Oh, well....) my selection was quesadillas.or quesadillaaaaaas,as my dad calls them. My mom (Chanty) picked breaded tilapia but, at the last minute decided 2 get red velvet cake with cream cheese icing (there's only 1 thing left 2 do..... Reeeeed Robin,Yuuuuuuuum!!!) L8r, she's like,"Aaaaah, I'll stick with my fish."(I'm still mad at her 4 that "stunt" she pulled)

        Weeeell, it was nice 2 have free realm 4 once. I luuuuuuuved it!!!!!!! (just like the night we could have any sweet we wanted, but that's a whoooole nother story)
I'll let Hunter post his experience next

         Stay tuned 4 the next episode of "The Sky's the Limit - Part 3" Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyye!!!!!  

The Sky's the Limit

After getting our income tax refund, one of the things that Ross and I decided to do was to give the kids a "no limits" day at Costco.  Usually when we shop at Costco, it is for a few choice things:

1. Soy milk (our youngest has a milk allergy)
2. Allergy medicine
3. Gas
4. Free samples :-)

Our desire was to show them a lesson in how generous God is with His children by being generous to them.  Of course we had to set some rules, but a limit on how much they could spend was not one of them.  We decided that they could pick whatever food item that they wanted in order to make a meal for this evening.  They could not pick caffeinated beverages and each of them got to choose one item.  If they knew ahead of time what they wanted to pick out, they could not tell each other what they were picking so as not to influence each other.  We just wanted them to get what their hearts desired without having someone else's selection influence them.

I enjoyed the experience myself, in particular being able to browse through the high end foods and know that I could choose whatever I wanted to eat.  I was even okay with the grand total, as it was actually under the budgeted amount that we had initially expected.  However, my flesh did ache when I saw that we had a coupon for one of the items we purchased but didn't realize it until after we had bought it.  I said something to Ross in the van.  "I'm not even worried about it," he said.  "We are under budget anyway."  I really wanted to go and get my $1.50 back.  Oh, well...

We ended up having a meal of breaded tilapia (my selection), italian sausage lasagna (Ross's choice), Dr. Pepper (Blaise our youngest's choice), and...for the older two, stay tuned as they will be blogging about their selections and thoughts.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

I'm Expecting!!!

I thought that title would get you to read this entry :-)  No, I'm not expecting a baby.  I am expecting God to do a miracle.  Let me explain.

Five years ago, I decided to start walking in my neighborhood for exercise.  The path that I walk takes me past all of the houses in our development twice as I go in a loop down the hill, through a little plaza, and back up again.  The end of the walk brings me back to the cul-de-sac in which we live.  Instead of ending at my house, I felt that God wanted me to walk around the cul-de-sac seven times every time that I walk.  In this way, I display the same faith that Joshua and the Israelites did when they trusted that marching around Jericho seven times on the seventh day would give them the city (Joshua 6:15). 

So for the five years that I have been walking, I have ended my walk with circling the cul-de-sac seven times.  Occasionally, I would pray for specific people in the neighborhood.  But always I would do the seven circles.  Not until recently have I thought about how God has been faithful to His promise to me.  He has given me relationship after relationship in my neighborhood.  Neighbors have entered my life without me even having to initiate.  As we get to know each other, I have seen their attention and even their lives turned to the Lord because of what they see in me.  One neighbor even remarked that he heard about me through his wife and regrets having lived in the neighborhood so long without getting to know me and my family.

The seven circles had become such a routine that I forgot what they were about.  I forgot to expect God to keep His promise.  No more.  Every day I will make it a routine to expect God to do a miracle!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Best Day Ever!

Today was a fabulous day--really!  I turned 38 today.  Many people would balk over this.  But I am excited to have another year of life.  I am still glowing over my birthday gifts.  They included:

1. A sunny day with 74 degree weather in the middle of March
2. Breakfast with a friend
3. Answer to a prayer just prayed the day before
4. A bouquet of flowers
5. Spending time outside in our cul-de-sac with the neighbors
6. Playing frisbee with the neighborhood kids
7. Dinner with my family

Can't wait to see what 39 years has in store :-)

Friday, March 9, 2012

Good News!

The other day I heard about a really good sale.  Clothes for $2.00 at Penny's!  My friend told me at the bus stop and even brought out the evidence to show me all the deals she got.  As I ran down my list aloud of who all I could tell about it, she checked each person off.  "Nope, told them."  "Already let them know."  "Just sent her a text."

Our family went to the sale and loaded up on clothes for the boys and for my husband.  Then, a couple days later, my sister called me.  While we were talking she told me that she was at the store looking for clothes her son.  The store she was at had a sale on pjs for $4.99. 

"Oh, no," I told her, "you need to go to Penny's.  They are running a $2.00 sale.  We just went the other day and got a whole bunch of stuff for the boys."

"Really?!" she exclaimed.  "What all did they have?"

I told her about the things that we purchased and what I saw for her son.  At one point while I was speaking with her, she informed me that she was putting back the clothes that she had picked up in the store, walking to her car, and driving to Penny's.  Then she asked a question that I myself still don't have the answer to:

"Why didn't you tell me about it before now?"

Funny, even while I was in Penny's shopping, I did think about calling her.  I thought about my nephew and how cute he'd look in some of the clothes.  But I didn't take the initiative to call my sister and tell her the good news.  Can you feel where I'm going with this?...How many times have we seen someone that we care about in despair, suffering, making wrong choices, hanging with the wrong crowd, and not done anything about it?  As a Christian, I carry the good news of Jesus Christ inside of me.  My living is for no other reason than to lead people to Him.  But instead I get absorbed in "shopping" for myself.  Making my life a priority and calling anything that takes me away from my life a distraction. 

The Bible calls a relationship with Jesus "Good News".  It is "good" because He is the best gift that we will ever know.  It is "news" because people need to be told.  Who needs to tell them?  You and me.  It's up to us to use the the example of our own lives.  My neighbor showed me what she got from the store.  In the same way, our behavior shows people who don't know Jesus what He looks like.  When they see our lives and hear our testimony ('I got 10 outfits for $8!' or 'I forgave my brother for what he did to me'), it moves them to drop what they are doing (like my sister who put her clothes back, like your best friend who curses) and follow us to Jesus. 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A Chance

I love listening to WITF, our local public radio station.  Initially I began listening for the classical music.  It's such a nice background to anything and everything that I am doing during my day.  But what kept me listening are the stories.  The news reports sound like personal essays and they air stories of real people's lives that read like novels.  Needless to say as a writer, this type of broadcast appeals to all of my senses.

Anyhow, one day I was listening and heard mention of a writing contest.  I looked it up on the computer to find out the details.  Entrants had to write a short work (1500 words or less) of fiction for a chance to win.  First prize is $500 and the possibility of having your story read on air and printed in a local magazine.  Second prize is $200.  I've entered a writing contest once before and didn't win.  But I figured I'd try it again.  I have a journal of stories, poems, and thoughts that I drew from for my submission. 

The due date was at 5:00pm today and I dropped it off at about 3:45pm today.  There were about 5-6 other envelopes underneath the one I placed in the drop off box and who's to say how many more were dropped off prior to today.  My husband recently told our kids, "On a multiple choice test you always guess.  Never leave it blank.  If you guess, you at least have a chance at getting the correct answer.  But if you don't guess, you have no chance of getting the correct answer."  All I know is that since I submitted an entry, I at least have a chance of being chosen as the winner.  I will know by the end of March...