Interesting quote

Stop the mindless wishing that things would be different. Rather than wasting time and emotional and spiritual energy in explaining why we don't have what we want, we can start to pursue other ways to get it - Greg Anderson



Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.

- HL Hunt

Can you tell where I am right now? What is important to me? What do I really want out of life? What can I do NOW to start me on the road to what I want.

Both of these quotes came from Dave Ramsey, and while I definitely SEE the link to financial things, I also see the link in them to other things going on in my life and head.

Um...when you are in debt it HURTS to fix the problem because you have to save money, not spend money, live waaaaay below your means and actually well...pay off that debt. It's "duh" but oh so incredibly hard to do. Well, we found Dave Ramsey and Larry Burkett and Money Matters budgeting software starting almost 10 years ago. We picked ourselves up, buckled down and just DID it. It hurt. We learned a LOT through that experience...like Kool-Aid does taste alright without a full cup of sugar. ;) Driving a car without an FM radio is okay, after all Dave comes on the AM stations. It's even possible to drive a car without Air Condition in Southern Arizona during the summer. Yes, indeed it is. The biggest thing though during this, we didn't complain to others constantly. Sure we vented to friends about how bad it was to drive in 110 degree heat without an AC. Imagine, if you will, a 36 hour drive by CAR across country without FM radio. Yeah. Add in a car sick cat as well....fun fun times. Marriage building fun times.

We still are not perfect with money and budgeting, and probably never will be. Afterall, Matilda Jane, Strassburg, Disney, and such still exist and my willpower is weak. Oh so very weak.

But one thing those early days taught me was that while it was tough...it was doable with ingenuity, humor, and lots of love. I have a good friend who is going through similar, but reading her blog you wouldn't know it. While we were buried under debt (thank you college degrees), she is living life as a Single Mom...and I would venture to guess that her daughters truly do not know all the sacrifices she is making. I would guess those girls do NOT feel poor, because they aren't. Poor is a state of mind. My friend is going through a financially difficult time, and she's humbled herself in order to get what her daughters need. She may vent and whine about a particular situation, but you know what? She does it once, then she fixes the problem or works to find a solution. Sometimes she vents a few times, but always she is working to make it better, usually with humor.

Then, there is the whole "I want to spend more time with my family" aspect that has been an ongoing theme for the past 2 years. I just have to DO it. Life has a crazy way of interfering with quality family time, but even if I'm not perfect with it...at least I'm making that effort. KWIM?

Lately, I've been paying attention to what I've been complaining about, and what irks me. Usually, that is a clue to something that I need to work on, to change in my life...and while it might hurt (like to give up carbonated beverages and start a running program) it's usually something that is BETTER for me. Like being out of debt.

Just don't expect an update anytime soon. Remember...I work SLOW. ;)