The day has finally come. Our budget and our paycheck finally balance. That means that there is no more panic at the end of the month as I try to figure out what to make with a package of dried pasta and canned northern beans (soup – always a soup 😉 ). For several years,…
My family is a blessing – even though there are days when I wonder why I don’t run away. This morning, my oldest jumped out of the bed before the sun was even up. He made his bed, fed his animals, and then started cleaning and organizing the front porch. It was such a sweet…
My children are helping out this morning and even showing their two year old brother how to do some of the chores. I would like to take all the credit and say it’s the amazing upbringing that I have been giving them these last ten years. The truth is, yesterday I was wondering who they…
My husband got a raise this month. After taxes and added dental insurance, it is barely a blip on the pay stub. It is a raise, though. And I am determined that we will use it in the best way possible. 1.     We are going to save over the next year. Each month, I am…
A founding member of the church, who faithfully attended services for thirty years and could always be counted on to volunteer, got sick. The church rallied by her side – the pastor visited, the secretary sent flowers, and the congregation sent notes and cards and prepared meals for the family. It was a good thing….
A birthday budget makes “Happy Birthday” a cry for joy and peace instead of a cry of lack and despair. Setting a budget guides the journey and keeps the cart from rolling out of control. Birthdays are great fun around our house. But if I followed my mother’s pattern, it could spiral out of control….
Having to do things gets in my way. Much of the have-tos is not my favorite. I might be able to do them, but I dread them so much that I don’t do them until I have built them into such a big obstacle that it seems impossible. They become the troll under the bridge….
Saving money can be as simple as having a well-planned menu. But anything well planned will require some level of organization. My husband will be the first to raise his hand and tell you I was not born organized. He will probably follow that up with his version of “she’s not even orderly.” But that’s…
Stay on budget to keep finances in control. We are called to be the head and not the tail, which means to owe no man but to love him. But when giving is the driving force, it can be a challenge to stay on target. The key is to have a plan before the first…
Weed through your life so the weed seeds scattered by the world don’t have a chance to choke out the Word. Why Weed Through Your Life I love to garden, or should I say that I love having a garden. Growing anything – vegetables, flowers, or shrubs – is hard work. Not only do you…