Thursday, October 28, 2010

Financial Peace


We are going through Financial Peace University at our house.

Dave Ramsey. Have you heard of him?

Once you hear his ideas on getting your finances in order you want to kick yourself for not hearing about it sooner, before you got into all the credit card debt.

We got out of credit card debt early in marriage. But. We didn't save. We lived paycheck to paycheck. Then, when the tires needed replacing or an unexpected something happened on the car or house, we'd have to put it on a credit card and cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching it would start racking up again.

Once you get a lot of debt on that card it starts feeling like an impossible mountain to climb so it is easier to slap $20 here and $15 there on it and before you know it you have an $8,000 bill and a lot of stress.

It has lifted the weight of the world off our shoulders to realize that it is possible to get in control of our finances. We have a good amount of debt and we are getting out one decision at a time.

God blesses you when you are faithful with your finances. Listen to this cool story. We went on a trip to Florida to celebrate our 10 year anniversary a month ago. We really wanted to stay in an ocean facing room. When we looked at what we saved for our trip, we decided to spend less money on the room at the Bed & Breakfast so we could do other things, like, you know, eat. We checked in late Wednesday night.

Thursday morning we had a nice conversation with the manager over breakfast. Do you know that she upgraded up to an ocean front room for the rest of our stay? That was a gift straight from God. He used her to bless us.

It tickles us to death. God is a provider. It makes us laugh.

Did you know that 3 weeks ago I was browsing decorating magazines and I kept seeing real pairs of ice skates as decorations? I loved them. So charming. My dreams were filled with sugar plums and ice skates.
Two days later my car wheeled into a yard sale and I walked away with a pair of ice skates in mint condition for $3.

$3.


How does God bless us like that?


This post is a big shout out to God who sees you. When he looks at you he cares.

Even about the smallest details.

Man, he is too cool.

He is fun.

10 comments:

Karen said...

I can tell from your words, your breathing more free! It is so very hard not to get in debt. Been there done that one ~ still have some things we are working on. Not only freedom - but so many ways God can use you when you are able to give. That is so what He wants from us.

'The H Family' said...

We HEART Dave Ramsey!!! We started the 'Dave Ramsey' plan about 4 yrs ago, and like you said...could have kicked ourselves for not doing it sooner!! It truly does make all the difference in your marriage and life!! So happy for y'all!!

Amy said...

I love Dave. Dave is a 5th family member around here. "Do you think Dave would say it's okay to buy that?" or "Dave wouldn't approve of this." The biggest part of FPU is just getting a goal in place, I think.

I'm so thankful that if it's important to us, it's important to God. Please post ice skate pics, I'm really curious to see how you can decorate with those!!

Jenny said...

SO true!! The best part of being out of debt to me is being challenged to give as much away to HIS purposes as possible. I mean being debt free is one thing but being debt free and then using HIS resources on others instead of ourselves is a WHOLE new blessing!!

Amanda said...

Is your Christmas tree up??? Please say yes.

We are working on the debt thing as well. I like the idea I saw on Super Saving Mom's site, which is a variation on Dave's motto, "Live like no other, so you can give like no other." So true! We still feel led to give even with debt, and we do give, but how great will it be when even more is freed up! I can't wait to yell, "We're debt free!"

Unknown said...

God is good all the time

Amanda said...

I totally LOVE this story!! Ice skate part especially. One of the first Bible studies Pam Nolen and I went through was a Kay Arthur study on the names of God..to this day, it has remained with me..."the God who sees..." Love His heart for His people.

Gretchen said...

I am so thrilled about your $3 ice skates! I love how our heavenly Father takes care of our little needs/wants.

Tara said...

So glad you guys are getting financially free with the DR plan! It made me smile when I read about those ice skates--I had no idea what you were buying ice skates for at that garage sale, Anna! haha. I really thought for a split second that you were actually going to go ice skating with them. :) We had so much fun Friday night with you and your boys. Love your blog!

Anonymous said...

I have mixed feelings about Dave Ramsey's program...I've seen it work greatly for some people but put others in a new type of bondage. I've known marriages almost torn apart because one partner is dedicated to be debt free and the other is not...brings much division and strife into the home. It becomes a fight to follow Dave's plan (or any other debt-free plan)

My personal experience with DR is very tumultuous as we are self-employed and living on a set budget is impossible when you never know how much $ or when the $ or even if the $ will come. I wrote to DR a few times asking for advice/help/suggestions and of course, there has never been a response. His program only works well for those who can set a fixed $$ for debt, so that leaves out many self-employed, struggling people.

I told my husband that we cannot live the rest of our lives beating ourselves up due to the loss of $$ from our business and the financial mess it has left us in. Being debt free would be wonderful but God has quickened my heart that debt-free came become an idol that one worships and trust more than God.