As you may or may not know, there has been a recent development in our family that we are very excited about. In my Dad's recent trip to visit us in late April, Andy asked if he could work under him to learn his business, and my father said that he would love to. He will be training David and Andy together. This is very exciting as it means we will be moving back out to California when Andy is done with the Navy, which could be as soon as within this next year, but certainly within the next 3 years. This leaves us very little time to save up for a house, but I am learning how to be content in whatever circumstance I am in. As part of the training, Andy is reading Master Your Money by Ron Blue, and I have been reading it as well.
I woke up this morning terribly worried and fretful about money. It seems to always be in our subconscious, doesn't it? I was worried about the new baby that is coming and our having to move again to get cheaper rent. I was worried about the short term, would we be able to make it until payday without tapping into our (small) savings? Growing up in my father's home I thought I knew a lot about money, but I was missing the most important concept of all, and that is that everything belongs to God. If I am given anything, I am only a steward of it, not the owner. I can enjoy the things he gives but am aware that He can take it back at any time. It is my responsibility to use those resources I am given to help fulfill the Great Commission. My goal should never be the accumulation of wealth, which is in essence worthless, but to make goals and then achieve them. Finances can be used in attaining goals, but it is only one part. Other things to give and use are time and talents.
I am ashamed that I have descended into the rat race. I long to have financial freedom, but I am learning that this starts in the mind. If, in my subconscious, I am always worrying about money, I will never truly be free, but if I give it up to God (as if it was ever mine to begin with) and recognize the proper placement of things, the weight is lifted. I need to learn to stop making emotional buying decisions (oh, I just don't know if I will be able to raise two young girls if they don't have beautiful clothes!) and realize that the longer-term plans have less room for error. When I want to go out and spend (yes, even with coupons) because there is a great deal, it doesn't matter how much I am saving. A dollar spent today cannot be used or grown for tomorrow. Many people look at the price of something and say, "That's not bad," and buy it. That's not bad in and of itself, but you have to realize that a dollar today can be many dollars tomorrow if you invest it wisely. It is this opportunity cost that is lost whenever we purchase something short-term.
