This year my husband and I made some pretty lofty financial goals. We have continued to carry old credit card debit. When we decided that I was going to leave my full-time angiography nursing position 3 years ago (making a very nice income) we had a lot of debt. God has been so faithful to allow us to continue to pay down this debt despite losing thousands of dollars a year in my income!
We cut all credit cards up 5 years ago. We do not have any credit cards. I know we have been told by many friends and family, that we need at least one card for emergencies. However God has told us different. He has been and will be our provision. We have learned to put our trust in Him. I won't say that this has always been easy, but I will tell you it has always been worth it.
Each year we have seen more debt paid off and we have not acquired any new debt (with the exception of a second hand car purchase) since cutting up our credit cards. God has been good to us, but it has been a loooong hard road back to financial independence. I say financial independence because the Bible warns us in the book of Proverbs 22:7 "and the borrower is servant to the lender ."
We decided this year to get very aggressive on the last leg of this debt journey. That means tightening an already tight budget. I know that there are areas even now that I can tighten up. That means truly scrutinizing every purchase. I mean every purchase , doing without some things, and making what we have last longer. Really folks this isn't rocket science, but it is hard work!! It is hard to deny our fleshly desires. We see things and we want them. We won't ever obtain success in our spiritual or even physical life until we learn to tell our flesh NO.
This valentines day I would like to challenge you, to not spend money you don't have, on gifts you don't need. Ladies, make your husband a homemade card and tell him all that you love about him. There are many women out there today that don't have a husband and would love to be in your shoes. Make him king for a day. Cook his favorite meals, wear something that you know he loves on you. Go out of your way to show your man you love him and there's no one else in the world for you!! You know your man better than anyone else (at least you should) and the ideas are endless.
Onto the kiddos in your life. Make TIME for them. Plan ahead and free up Saturday to do something your kids love. Go for a walk as a family, read together, go to the public library and bring home a free movie. (This is only free if you return it on time!) Make their favorite breakfast or lunch. The ideas are endless here as well. The key is to love on them. No one knows what makes your children happy better than you!
Our family has some ideas planned and I will share them in an upcoming post. I got some inspiration from a site that I love http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ She has a free e-book on cheap Valentine Day ideas. I have chose not to spend any money and improvise. Our son is 14 and he loves Valentines Day. Each year we have found a special way to shower him with love that was free or very inexpensive. His favorite was the year we made him a coupon booklet and let him redeem them at his choosing. He loves the library and we had 3 trips to the library "whenever you want to go" in his booklet. A free wrestle with Dad night(my husband is not always in the mood to wrestle after a long day at work) whenever you chose. We had several others things we knew he loved, the key is whatever works for your kids. I can tell you he still talks about that coupon book to this day. Have fun with it,the ideas are truly endless.
Make this a Valentine day that won't break the bank! Above all remember the one who loved you enough to die for you and give his life a ransom for many, The Lord Jesus Christ! MAY HE BE KING OF YOUR LIFE EVERYDAY!!
Blessings, Michelle
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