Rollin’ In It! February 6, 2009

Alrighty, so just finished the Dave Ramsey book Total Money Makeover and here are some of my takeaways…

So right off the bat, reading the debt and money myths, I have to say part of me was like, “there are people out there that believe these?” But as I sat and thought of people we have known throughout our lifetime so far that always had advise to dish….I was no longer surprised. It’s funny how people who have no idea how to budget, save, tithe, spend wisely think they have any right to dish out advise or have the idea that we will take it…HAH. Anyway, enough about that. After the myth buster and hurdles the book really opened up. And also I do have to say that the point he makes at the very beginning of the book at the problem being with ME and looking ourselves in the mirror is dead on and I was so refreshed to be reading such an in your face true book. Moving right along..…

So the book is focused on 7 key must do’s….(Baby Steps)
1. Emergency Fund – Save $1000 fast - this at first was kinda hard for me as I was planning on just paying off debt, then starting an Emergency fund. But as I read I saw the grave importance of doing this step first, and as he reiterates throughout the book, you must do each step in order for success.

2.  The Debt Snowball - list all our debts (not counting mortgage) from smallest to largest.  The one thing that surprised me was that it didn’t matter how much interest anything was.  I had always thought to pay off the large interest debt first, then worry about the small(no interest) med bills and such, but this is not the case.  As you snowball, each debt you completely pay off you scratch off your list, and then use that extra money to put towards your next master in line.  Very simple.

3.  Finish the Emergency Fund - So to do this you have what you started with($1000), then you add to that 3-6mos of expenses, all depending on your situation.  As we are a new family of 5 and my husband is currently the only one working, it would be wise to do 6mos.  Now if by the time we reach this step I am working and bringing in a good amount from Personal Training, we may be able to do the 3mos.  Like I said, all depends on your situation.  Agian simple, but so smart.  We are never guaranteed our jobs or that we will be healthy or our cars will never need serious work, or  whatever else that is a TRUE Emergency…not “I really want that pair of Buckle Jeans or that cute Banana dress.”  Oh how I love me some shopping.  Huuuuuuu…..sorry, back on track.  The typical finished Emergency Fund will have aproximatly $5,000 – $25,000 in it.  WOW can you imagine just having that much in savings for an emergency…no more worrying about taking the kids to the dr and the crazy cost of rx’s that that brings….or if the old vehicle has issues or whatever as I said before.  Man, that would be a weight lifted doncha think?

4.  Retirement - Now that we are all debt free by this step, we will start contributing 15% of income into retirement.  This was an exciting chapter to read as my husband and I are serious amatures when it comes to investing.  We are seriously “ignorant” in this area.  What Dave says, actually made sense and wasn’t “over my head” with a bunch of mumbo jumbo talk.  The numbers he talks about are exciting too as he uses examples of the “average” income of $40,000 which is right where we are at the moment.

5.  College Fund for the Kidos – Pretty much the same as the retirement deal.  Wasn’t sure exactly what was out there as far as saving for this, just figured the sooner the better.  His advise is very helpful!

6.  Pay off the Mortgage – WOW!  This concept really is foriegn to most anyone.  I have honestly never heard of anyone even talking about doing something like this, yet hundreds of thousands of people have done it by doing the Total Money Makeover.  Crazy!  This would seriously be so FREAKIN’ exciting to be able to do!  At this point I am just envisioning, and hope that it will become our reality. Think Gazelle, think gazelle, think gazelle!!!!

7.  Build Wealth like Crazy - I call this the ROLLIN’ IN IT chapter!  Once we are TOTALLY debt free, home and all, have a full emergency fund, retirement savings, college for our kidos paid for we just simply ROLE IN IT!  And the way we do this is by having fun, investing, and of course GIVING!  Oh I’m excited about this one!  How awesome to not only not have to “worry” about money, but be able to help others out in a financial way without breaking the bank to do it!

Some of the things that really stood out to me and made the book….

• Dave is a Christian and lives by Christian principles and values which are displayed in the book
• He uses Bible verses throughout the book
• Real people examples
• The real life examples aren’t all….”this couple makes $90,000 or $200,000 a year and really succeeded”….the majority are average and some even below average incomes and one income families.  And many had more debt than Chris and I have currently.  So encouraging, let me tell ya!
• Not a “get rich quick” scheme – man are those annoying.  I cannot tell you how many times Chris has been “approached” by these sharks talking about a dot com or a work from home and get rich crapwholeo of a deal.  Pleeeeeeaaaase!  Of course, Chris being Chris, he is usually very nice and conversational and even takes their card just to through it away.

So all in all I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the hubby to get home so we can discus and read it TOGETHER and start our Total Money Makeover. In a word it was a refreshing book on financial freedom!  Each step seems so common sense.  But it will take each other, encouragement, courage, backbone, willpower, obedience, “gazelle”, and mostly the Power of God!

If you have been thinking about reading this book, do it.  It really is worth the read.  Not to mention it is fairly short and a fast read.  I hope this has helped you!

Favorite Quotes from Books October 10, 2008

Beth Moore (Believing God book)

“May God use our present journey to shake up some soil.”

“Some of us are working pretty hard at something that is hardly working.”

“I know I will make it to heaven because I’ve trusted Christ as my Savior, but I want to make it to my Canaan on the way.”

“God’s specialty is raising dead things to life and making impossible things possible.”

Shane Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution book)

“The body of Christ was alive, no longer trapped in stained-glass windows or books of systematic theology.  The body of Christ was literal, living, hungry, thirsty, bleeding…The church became something we are – an organism, not an organization.”

“Jesus came not just to prepare us to die but to teach us how to live.”

“Some of us have spent so much time fighting what we are against that we can barely remember what we are for.  Whether in the church or in circles of social dissent, there are plenty of people who define themselves by what they are not, whose identity revolves around what they are against rather than what they are for.”

Bruce Wilkinson (The Dream Giver book)

“Not long ago and not far away, a Nobody named Ordinary lived in the Land of Familiar.”

Michael Yaconelli (Dangerous Wonder book)

“He had given up trying to understand snow and had given in to experiencing snow.”

“I’m ready for a Christianity that “ruins” my life, that captures my heart and makes me uncomforable.  I want to be filled with an astonishment which is so captivating that I am considered wild and unpredictable and…well…dangerous.  Yes, I want to be “dangerous” to a dull and boring religion.  I want a faith that is considered “dangerous” by our predictable and monotonous culture.”

“Most of us act as if it is more important to make a living than to live.”

“Faith has been reduced to a comfortable system of beliefs about God instead of an uncomfortable encounter with God.”

Misc. Quotes

“A self-sufficient human being is subhuman.” – Desmond Tutu

“God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.”
- Bono (U2)

“It’s the greatest poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.” – Mother Teresa

“My wealth, Americas wealth, is our god, and it is blinding us, deluding us, suffocating us. The standard of living in America is constantly on the rise. I don’t just enjoy the wealth I have; it makes me hungrier, constantly on the prowl to get more and MORE. I get one thing, check it off the list, and move on to the next. There’s a hierarchy of possessions in America, and we march toward checking off each next thing on the list. The new phone technology. Check. A new car. Check. A new home. Check. A new boat. Check. On and on we march in an unending quest for material achievement, driven by possessions.

“And I’m stuck in the drudgery of the march, my possessions a thick sludge I’m wading through. The more I get, the more I want, piling up thing after thing. One more toy for the entertainment center. One more sweater. Soon the sludge has swallowed my ankles, then my knees; soon I can’t walk. Eventually I’m paralyzed – trapped in a big pile of stuff, my arms pinned to my sides, unable to reach out and help anyone else.” – Amber Van Schooneveld ( Hope Lives book)

Hope for the Flowers October 7, 2008

At church these past couple Sunday’s PC was talking about everyone having a purpose in life…a calling…a reason, and it made me think of one of my favorite books.  It is called Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus.  It is a book about life and hope and discovery and purpose.  I actually know only one other person who has heard of the book, let alone has read it, and he enjoyed it so much he bought it as well.

It is a story about a caterpillar who desires more from life than just eating leaves and crawling around.  One day this caterpillar sees a pillar of caterpillars that reaches all the way up into the clouds.  He wants to know what is at the top, so he begins climbing.  It’s tough, and the other caterpillars are not always nice.  They all keep to themselves, stepping on each other to get closer to the top.  One day our caterpillar(guy) meets another caterpillar (girl), and they begin to question together why they are climbing, and what is at the top.  Funny how no other caterpillar knows why they are climbing…they are just doing it because all the other caterpillars are.  They both decide that climbing is not the life for them, so they make their way down the pillar.  They start spending life together, loving each other.  Then, the guy caterpillar can’t take it any more and must know what is at the top of the pillar, so he leaves to find out.  Girl caterpillar is left all alone.  Then she meets another caterpillar that is hanging upside down from a tree limb making a cocoon.  He tells her that he is going to become a butterfly.  She asks… “How does one become a butterfly?”  He answers…

“You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”

She never knew she had it in her to become a butterfly.  Never understood her purpose for anything more than eating leaves and crawling around.  But she always felt as though there was something more.

I wonder how many of us are still searching for our purpose, not knowing that there is a butterfly within; crawling around when we could be flying.  How many of us are not willing to give up our present circumstances…take that leap of faith…knowing that Christ will see us through, and that without us doing this our true potential never reached.  God has a plan and purpose for each of us.  It is all part of HIS bigger picture.  Are we willing to give up being caterpillars?

You’ll have to read the book to get the ending.  It is a short read…about 150 pgs or so, but pics on every page.

Funny thing is, that without butterflies there would not be many flowers.