Ouch. HT James McGrath
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Quote of the Day: George Bernard Shaw
One True Joy in Life
"This is the one true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish clod of ailments and grievances,complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I've got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations."
"This is the one true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one;the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish clod of ailments and grievances,complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I've got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations."
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Budget and Finances
I have recently kicked our finances in the butt and started to take them seriously. I made a budget and have stuck to it since January without fail! It is a win in my corner. I have never been really good with money. I always thought that living on a budget would be so stressful and constricting, it is not! It is freeing and liberating! Just imagine being in the store and holding your debit card and knowing exactly how much you are allowed to spend, or checking our savings account, and seeing money in there, or seeing a large bill come in like propane, medical, car or house repair, and knowing that there is money set aside for this purpose! It is a great feeling.
A recent post on Bargaineering.com inspired me to make a cash flow chart of how my finances work so that I can see where my money is going in a picture. I left amounts out, but would like to share the map with you all.
A bit of explanation is required to navigate our flowchart. Workplace is where my funds are generated and thus it all starts there. They take care of my IRA and Health Insurance and then give me a paycheck (thank you!) But taxes are removed from there. After that I deposit my check into our Credit Union Checking Account. From there it goes four places
1. We support children through worldvision and the funds are automatically withdrawn.
2. I setup on our billpay site at the beginning of each month to pay all of our utilities and debts on the dates that they are due.
3. Our ING Direct account withdraws 5 withdraws each week.
a. Emergency Fund: for emergencies only!
b. Expense Account: We added up all the big bills (propane, car repair, house repair, medical, car registration etc...) we pay each year and divided by 52, that number is withdrawn each week.
c. Gifts/Giving: We added up Christmas, birthdays, vacation, outings, and what we would like to give away to people who need help and divided by 52. That number is withdrawn each week.
d. Tithe: self explanatory
e. 10 year trip: Kara and I are going on a missions trip for our 10 year anniversary. We took the price of the trip, the weeks left to the date, and divided to get a number and have that tiny amount withdrawn each week.
4. Weekly Expenses:
a. Our gasoline, food/supplies, are either left in our account (with a concrete number ascribed to them) or is withdrawn in cash each week. When the number is reached, or the cash is gone, we are done spending.
b. Flex Bucks: we have a few dollars left in our account each week to allow for flexibility and unforeseen expenses. This is the key to having a working budget, flexibility. If it cannot bend, it breaks.
You may be thinking, wow, he must make a fortune to have finances work so well. I don't. We are on one income that is about as much as a low end manager at McDonalds. I found that the key is to SAVE money, GIVE money, and PAY bills first thing, then see how much you can spend on yourself. Live under what you make and you can make any budget work. Give every dollar a place to go and a job to do, and you won't overspend.
That is what we are doing, and it is working. Love to hear any thoughts.
A recent post on Bargaineering.com inspired me to make a cash flow chart of how my finances work so that I can see where my money is going in a picture. I left amounts out, but would like to share the map with you all.
A bit of explanation is required to navigate our flowchart. Workplace is where my funds are generated and thus it all starts there. They take care of my IRA and Health Insurance and then give me a paycheck (thank you!) But taxes are removed from there. After that I deposit my check into our Credit Union Checking Account. From there it goes four places
1. We support children through worldvision and the funds are automatically withdrawn.
2. I setup on our billpay site at the beginning of each month to pay all of our utilities and debts on the dates that they are due.
3. Our ING Direct account withdraws 5 withdraws each week.
a. Emergency Fund: for emergencies only!
b. Expense Account: We added up all the big bills (propane, car repair, house repair, medical, car registration etc...) we pay each year and divided by 52, that number is withdrawn each week.
c. Gifts/Giving: We added up Christmas, birthdays, vacation, outings, and what we would like to give away to people who need help and divided by 52. That number is withdrawn each week.
d. Tithe: self explanatory
e. 10 year trip: Kara and I are going on a missions trip for our 10 year anniversary. We took the price of the trip, the weeks left to the date, and divided to get a number and have that tiny amount withdrawn each week.
4. Weekly Expenses:
a. Our gasoline, food/supplies, are either left in our account (with a concrete number ascribed to them) or is withdrawn in cash each week. When the number is reached, or the cash is gone, we are done spending.
b. Flex Bucks: we have a few dollars left in our account each week to allow for flexibility and unforeseen expenses. This is the key to having a working budget, flexibility. If it cannot bend, it breaks.
You may be thinking, wow, he must make a fortune to have finances work so well. I don't. We are on one income that is about as much as a low end manager at McDonalds. I found that the key is to SAVE money, GIVE money, and PAY bills first thing, then see how much you can spend on yourself. Live under what you make and you can make any budget work. Give every dollar a place to go and a job to do, and you won't overspend.
That is what we are doing, and it is working. Love to hear any thoughts.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Books, Books, Books
Books read last quarter:
1. Chronicles of Narnia, Magicians Nephew 4/5
2. Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 4/5
3. Chronicles of Narnia, A Horse and his Boy 3.5/5
4. Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian 4/5
5. Chronicles of Narnia, Voyage of the Dawntreader 5/5
I am reading the Narnia series for the first time and loving it.
6. Inferno; Dante 3/5
A very tough read, and very freaky. Imagine Greek Mythology meets Roman Catholicism. It had some pretty freaky images. I kept sayinng to myself, if this was made into a movie, it would have to be seriously edited to come down to R rating.
7. Black, Ted Dekker 5/5
8. Red, Ted Dekker 3.5/5
9. White, Ted Dekker 4/5
I read the Circle. I am NOT a big fan of Christian fiction (by the way why are all womens Christian fiction in the setting of the 1800's?) BUT this was an exception. When asked to describe it to others I said, "Imagine the show 24, meets 12 Monkeys, meets Narnia, meets Matrix, and then is turned into Christian Fiction." Black was the best by far of the series, and it seemed to go downhill in RED and then White pretty much redeemed the series.
10. The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture, Shane Hipps 4/5
Eye opening and educational
11. Hold on to you N.U.T.s, a Relational Guide for Men, Wayne Levine 5/5
Love the title! And this was a great book for guys to read.
12. The Way of the Heart, Henri Nouwen 5/5
If its Nouwen, its going to be great, and this was.
13. Jesus’ Plan for the New World: The Sermon on the Mount; Richard Rohr 5/5
14. Prayer Finding your Heart’s True Home; Richard Foster 3/5
15. Andromeda Strain; Michael Crichton 3.5/5
16. The Eyes of the Dragon; Stephen King 4/5
Books to read this quarter:
1. Jesus wants to save Christians, Rob Bell
2. The New Man; Thomas Merton
3. No Man is an Island; Thomas Merton
4. Meeting Jesus Again, for the First Time; Marcus Borg
5. Book of Letters; Lawrence Kushner
6. Coming Home to your True Self, Leaving the Emptiness of False Attractions; Albert Haase
7. The Freedom of Simplicity; Richard Foster
8. The Promise of Paradox, Parker Palmer
9. Christless Christianity, Michael Horton
10. Purgatory; Dante
11. Chronicles of Narnia, The Silver Chair
12. Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle
13. The Prodigal God; Timothy Keller
14. How to Read the Bible or All its Worth; Gordon D. Fee
15. Hermenutics;
1. Chronicles of Narnia, Magicians Nephew 4/5
2. Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 4/5
3. Chronicles of Narnia, A Horse and his Boy 3.5/5
4. Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian 4/5
5. Chronicles of Narnia, Voyage of the Dawntreader 5/5
I am reading the Narnia series for the first time and loving it.
6. Inferno; Dante 3/5
A very tough read, and very freaky. Imagine Greek Mythology meets Roman Catholicism. It had some pretty freaky images. I kept sayinng to myself, if this was made into a movie, it would have to be seriously edited to come down to R rating.
7. Black, Ted Dekker 5/5
8. Red, Ted Dekker 3.5/5
9. White, Ted Dekker 4/5
I read the Circle. I am NOT a big fan of Christian fiction (by the way why are all womens Christian fiction in the setting of the 1800's?) BUT this was an exception. When asked to describe it to others I said, "Imagine the show 24, meets 12 Monkeys, meets Narnia, meets Matrix, and then is turned into Christian Fiction." Black was the best by far of the series, and it seemed to go downhill in RED and then White pretty much redeemed the series.
10. The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture, Shane Hipps 4/5
Eye opening and educational
11. Hold on to you N.U.T.s, a Relational Guide for Men, Wayne Levine 5/5
Love the title! And this was a great book for guys to read.
12. The Way of the Heart, Henri Nouwen 5/5
If its Nouwen, its going to be great, and this was.
13. Jesus’ Plan for the New World: The Sermon on the Mount; Richard Rohr 5/5
14. Prayer Finding your Heart’s True Home; Richard Foster 3/5
15. Andromeda Strain; Michael Crichton 3.5/5
16. The Eyes of the Dragon; Stephen King 4/5
Books to read this quarter:
1. Jesus wants to save Christians, Rob Bell
2. The New Man; Thomas Merton
3. No Man is an Island; Thomas Merton
4. Meeting Jesus Again, for the First Time; Marcus Borg
5. Book of Letters; Lawrence Kushner
6. Coming Home to your True Self, Leaving the Emptiness of False Attractions; Albert Haase
7. The Freedom of Simplicity; Richard Foster
8. The Promise of Paradox, Parker Palmer
9. Christless Christianity, Michael Horton
10. Purgatory; Dante
11. Chronicles of Narnia, The Silver Chair
12. Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle
13. The Prodigal God; Timothy Keller
14. How to Read the Bible or All its Worth; Gordon D. Fee
15. Hermenutics;
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