Good Morning! It's been a couple of days since I have gotten on here...it's been crazy since Spring sports started for our four teens and this blogging thing is so addicting that I find myself on the computer for hours! I needed to concentrate on getting our taxes done and mailed, filling out some rebate forms for cel phones, computers, printers. I feel so much better knowing our home is up to date and organized!! And today is TENNIS DAY...YEAH ! Sometimes I feel like I wish I weren't playing tennis and could just stay home to "get stuff done." However, life is about BALANCE, and I need to make myself go out there, exercise, socialize with my friends, and breath the wonderful clean air God has blessed me with! It would be too easy to just stay at home, clean all day, putz around the house, and isolate myself from the world. No, balance is a good thing so I will blog this morning for about 20 more minutes, get the kids up and get ready for TENNIS!

LUKE 12:15 "THEN HE SAID TO THEM, 'WATCH OUT! BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST ALL KINDS OF GREED; A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF HIS POSSESSIONS.'"
Footnote taken from LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE: "Jesus says that the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, so be on guard against greed (desire for what we don't have). This is the EXACT opposite of what society usually says. Advertisers spend millions of dollars to entice us to think that if we buy more and more of their products, we will be happier, more fulfilled, more comfortable. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE CONSTANT PRESSURE TO BUY? Learn to tune out expensive enticements and CONCENTRATE INSTEAD ON THE TRULY GOOD LIFE - LIVING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND DOING HIS WORK."


BUDGET UPDATE:
In catching up these past couple of dates, I have closed out February Budget and though we did not come in under budget, yes, we are still over (and working on this very hard to bring it to balance)....we were only over by $1469.77, as opposed to the overage of January which was $5674.90!! SOOOo, just by BEING AWARE of our spending, we have really reigned it in. I am so excited to keep perservering for March. My goal is for us to not only BALANCE, but come in UNDER BUDGET. For I have come to realize that the money my husband (and me - sometimes) brings in, is "THE LORD'S PORTION FOR US." If I charge or overspend, I am acting like an "obnoxious spoiled child" who doesn't appreciate the blessings already bestowed upon her. I do not want to be like that. I want to be a "good and faithful servant." I am learning to appreciate the FREE blessings of God already right in front of my face. And, so what, if the economy is bad and stores are closing (I mean, the store closings are bad for the people they employ)...but for me personally, on the "spending" side, I don't need STORES.....ALL THAT I HAVE IS ALL THAT I NEED. Just sitting in the backyard listening to the birds, breathing the fresh air....it sounds corny, but it truly does feel so good!!

As of right now - 3/5/09 - here is my credit card debt total:

BANK OF AMERICA: $34,425.93
DISCOVER: $7196.38
KOHLS: $655.41
VICTORIA SECRET: $500.08

TOTAL: $42,777.80

Embarrassing and making me angry: YES Stupid YES...but I have grown. I am not that same person and I WILL...I AM...paying this OFF by 8/2012 and enjoying life so much more now than when I would aimlessly seek to fill some kind of void, I guess, by "just looking" at the stores and end up buying "cute outfits, stuff for the house, and on and on...."

Oh well, NO LOOKING BACK....PERSERVERING TO THE FINISH LINE!!

PRAYER: MY SPOUSE IS FINANCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE (Taken from Emergency Prayers by Deborah SmithPegues)
"Lord, my spouse's irresponsible behavior is threatening the financial stability of our marriage. I do not want Satan to use our different attitudes about money to destroy our marriage. I ask that you fill the emptiness that drives his/her behavior. Give me the wisdom to pray for, encourage, and build him/her up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) rather than resorting to nagging, name-calling, or put-downs because of his/her apparent lack of good financial judgment. Cause him/her to see the error of his/her ways. Give him/her the desire to handle the money You provide according to biblical principles of good stewardship."

"Lord, search my heart and show me where my mindset regarding our finances may be too conservative and, thus, hindering us from experiencing the ABUNDANT LIFE Jesus came to give (John 10:10). Show us both how to strike a balance between spending for enjoyment today and saving for the future. Deliver us from the emotional baggage that has shaped our views about the purpose and priority of our finances. Let us forsake and forget these destructive attitudes and look forward to what lies ahead in our relationship (Phil. 3:13). Help us reach one accord in priorities for Your Word says two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement (Amos 3:3)."

"THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR RAISING US UP TO BE AN EXAMPLE AND TESTIMONY OF A COUPLE WALKING IN FINANCIAL INTIMACY AND VICTORY. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I PRAY. AMEN."


LOVE DARE - DAY 4 Taken from The Love Dare by Kendrick

PROVERBS 27:14 "HE WHO BLESSES HIS FRIEND WITH A LOUD VOICE EARLY IN THE MORNING, IT WILL BE RECKONED A CURSE TO HIM."

"Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so WITHOUT ATTACKING THEM OR JUSTIFYING YOUR BEHAVIOR. This is from THEIR PERSPECTIVE ONLY."


TODAY'S HOME BLESSING: Make all beds in home. Light a nice smelling candle in kitchen.

DINNER TONIGHT: Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, peas

**Slice a pork tenderloin into 1" rounds. Fry bacon in pan until "limp" and then wrap each pork round with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Top each toothpick with a mushroom cap. Place the pork rounds in a baking dish. In a separate bowl mix beef broth and minced garlic. Pour garlic/broth mix over pork and bake for about 45 minutes at 350, basting pork every 15 - 20 minutes (to keep mushroom caps from drying out).

For the potatoes, slice or dice potatoes and place in a big plastic bag with some olive oil. Pour 1 - 2 bags of Lipton Onion Soup Garlic and Herb envelopes in the plastic bag and smush around to coat all potatoes. Spray a pan with cooking spray and pour potatoe mixture into pan. Bake at 350 until potatoes are soft.

I usually serve this meal with broccoli casserole instead of peas, but seeing as I am trying to BALANCE our budget, I decided to use the can of peas I had bought when Green Giant Vegetables were 10/$10!

GOD BLESS!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY