Friday, May 25, 2012

Finances - Focus on Him (not pretty things)

Good afternoon, ladies! Today's SAHM joy comes from me :-)
I love that am able to uniquely understand my son and simply, observe him. Each day, I get to observe his mannerisms, his preferences, his multiple cries, his food likes and dislikes, his attitude when he hasn't napped enough, the wheels turning in his head while he's problem-solving, and most importantly, I get to watch him unfold as a little person. Then the next day, I get to see it all again, constantly comparing to what he did the day before. I have the privilege of seeing him explore new challenges and tasks. 
So very cool.

As we bring this week to a close, I want to thank you for journeying with me through the topic of finances. There will be future posts on financial freedom in the home, and I will continue to post daily MMSM entries! Finances, as we all know, can be tricky, time-consuming, frustrating, fight-starting, and a huge pain in the bottom. But remember, they don't have to be! I am grateful to say the Lord has brought my husband and I to a place financially where these words apply less and less as we move forward with our life together. I pray the same can happen for you. If you have more specific questions about our methods of figuring out the finances with one income, please feel free to email me. I would love to speak one-on-one with any reader, and I promise that we have nothing to hide. I am willing to discuss anything! Mostly, I pray that you have been blessed from the words I have been led to write and more importantly, by the scriptures given from our heavenly Father. When all else fails, go to His Word. He never fails!

Before I venture into our final topic, do be sure and check back next week for an all new section of Staying at Home and Making it Work. One of my money-saving passions is (drum roll, please...) couponing! I love it. It doesn't have to take forty hours a week. It turns grocery-shopping into a game. And, it saves a LOT of money. I will do five separate entries under the "coupon" tab next week. Be sure to check out:
  • where to get coupons
  • how to organize coupons (with pictures!)
  • grocery store shopping plan with coupons
  • how to clean out/update in a timely manner AND clearance shopping
  • other tips and tricks about this magical bits of paper
As you can tell, this is one of my favorite things :-) Hopefully, it can become one of yours. If this turns into a hobby for you, be prepared to get a big ol' kiss from your hubby after he sees the checking account balance!

Now, much of the entries on finances have been quite heavy to take. You may feel bummed out and like you won't be able to do anything fun with money the rest of your life, if you decide to be a stay at home mommy. Or, you may feel like being a good financial steward for the Lord means that all extra money should only go to extremely important things. Maybe you even feel guilty for buying things that are unnecessary, but that you simply want. My opinion? Once you are organized, once you and your husband can calmly discuss and plan financial decisions, once you are committed to tithing and giving, and once you have asked the Lord to completely direct your path when it comes to the money He has entrusted to you, a freedom takes over that allows you to use the knowledge He has given you to make wise choices. Check out this verse!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17
Did God send down this beautiful tea kettle from heaven? Hmm...that I don't know. What I do know is that I've had my eye on this for over a year, my husband and I agreed to a certain amount of "fun" money that each of us would get this summer, and I happily, without guilt, and under the full knowledge of my husband purchased this yesterday. It makes my heart dance. I don't feel like I did anything sneaky, skipped a utility bill to pay for it, or that it was a mistake. You see, God created us. He knows we like pretty things...especially us girls! What we must be careful of is to not get obsessed with pretty things, or live to gain more of them, or turn our focus away from Him onto the material items. There isn't anything wrong with the things...it becomes wrong when we idolize things instead of our Lord.

"For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10

Loving money and loving material things, more than Him, is what God abhors. Money itself isn't evil, but your love for it before your love before God, is.

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

God is our master, not money (or pretty things)! There will always be pretty things. There will always be items that catch our eye as we are walking through the mall, but when our heart is right with the Lord, when we are one with our husband on finances, and when you and God are confidant that He is your master, enjoy a good and perfect gift (or a way to buy that gift!), sent from Him. Even if it comes in the shape of a tea kettle. Be blessed!

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