Winding Down

Well as the kids are well aware, I only go to work 9 more times! How exciting is that? Things here are going well. We FINALLY got Nick's first paycheck this last Friday and once again were shown how truly great is our God! We should be just fine! Yahoo! I have noticed lately that one of my huge stressors lately has been money. I am always worried if we will have enough, are we contributing enough into savings? Retirement? College funds? Ugh, sometimes the stress can be overwhelming. So I am going to try to let it go.

When I want something I think of if I REALLY need it. Most of the time the answer is no. I was at TJ Maxx and saw Mrs. Meyers in the baby scent. I wanted it...bad. Do I need more cleaning products? That would be a huge n to the o. So I passed. Old Navy had huge clearance on sweaters. Do I need more sweaters? N to the o again! So I passed and it felt invigorating!

I did need new sneakers. So I made sure to not just run out and buy the first pair I wanted. I reseached what I wanted and then I searched and searched for the best price. I actually found the best price for my new New Balance 720's to be on NewBalance.com! Just a tip! I would have guessed the best price would have been on some deep discount website or at a bargain bin type of store, not the company's website but alas I was wrong so I am so, so happy that I tried all venues.

When researching I have been thinking on Proverbs 31. Verse 11 tells us that the noble wife's husband has full confidence in her. I want Nick to have full confidence in me and to know that I make the best decisions. Verse 16 tells us that "she considers a field and buys it"...okay I know I am not investing in real estate or anything but I guess my thinking here is that whatever decisions deal with our money...I need to be prayerfully considering them and making good investments...not just throwing money away.

Another thing I have been doing to help me not to be so stressed about money is to avoid things that make me feel like we don't have any money. What am I talking about? Well for one example, jewelry ads that come in the mail around this time. All those things do is to make me want things I don't need and that we can't afford. They also tend to make me a little mad at old-what's-his-face, who happens to not really be the jewelry giving guy. And you know what? I am okay with that (as of right now!). Another thing that makes me covet is when I web surf...gap, vickie's...they call my name. And before long I have convinced myself that I need ALL of this stuff...and when I can't have it I get upset and look around uncontentedly at what I do have. That's not what God calls us to do.

So as I wind down working I am also hoping to wind down my attachment to consumerism. I think I will always secretly want a new Coach Bag, or new Choos, but I am hoping to squelch those things and be able to focus on what really matters...my precious darlings I get to take care of and my amazing husband who (with God's help of course!) is making that happen!