Skip to main content

Windfalls

We are the typical American family, swimming in debt. All of it was accumulated between 2000 and 2006. For six years we spent more than we made. We paid for groceries on credit and still to this day the only piece of furniture that we have bought is our bed and a tv stand. The other bits and pieces in our home have been gifts. We are going to pay the last payment on our car, eight years later thanks to leasing and loans.

Our material life has been built upon the hope that one day we could afford the basics. The problem with that kind of thinking is that once you start making a decent salary, you have this burden of all the things you've acquired on the way there, so you don't actually get to enjoy it at all.

Once we stopped using credit and making our way toward being able to enjoy the hear and now, we were able to start enjoying windfalls. Small unexpected windfalls mainly. Someone would bring us a meal or a check would show up before going on a trip. Angel Food Ministries coming to our town, smiles, letters from friends.
But there was still a nagging feeling on my part that more money would mean more freedom. Freedom to do what we wanted to with the money, even if it meant that we wouldn't have time to do what we wanted. In the end we have taken the time freedom instead of the financial. Truth is that the money may never have given us what we truly desired, which is a close relationship with God. It has been a lack if money and an abundance of time that has left me with nothing else to do but to get to know my God and my family.
The windfalls reminded me of God's provision through all if our middle class poverty. They were probably always upon us, but I didn't really start appreciating them until we stopped making windfalls for ourself with credit. Because I still see them now, as we move out of credit and into something new. We had many of them this week alone including a financial gift that helped cancel some personal debt as well as some time away for me.
Windfalls are occurring for all of us. We have to be in the moment though to notice and appreciate them. They happen mist often when we give up that worry and decide to let God handle it, only to discover his plan for our provision has been in place since well before our need. BlogBooster-The most productive way for mobile blogging. BlogBooster is a multi-service blog editor for iPhone, Android, WebOs and your desktop

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hospitality for the Rest of Us: Long Distance

People are moving more and more. When I was a youngster, it was a rare instance for a friend to move away. Now it's me that moves away. We've moved a lot, especially when we first got married. It was something like five addresses and three states in the first four years of our marriage. We've slowed down a bit. In the midst of all that moving, we've made some friends along the way. I try to keep an open line in case of times of grief and celebration. One of the best tools I've found for keeping in touch with loved ones far away is Facebook. As much time as I could spend doing other things instead of checking it, it's the best thing I've found. It allows me to communicate with others, without having to call. I know calling is amazing, hearing people's voices, but for introverts, there are no body language clues for us to pick up on that help make our conversations easier. It's also why we prefer to video chat :-) Back to Facebook, some etiquette.

Stories from the Kitchen: Taste and See

I celebrated my birthday last weekend. It was wonderful and the leftovers left me with a question or two. Find out what they are and how I'm currently answering them in this week's podcast. Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 2: Taste and See Notes from the episode: Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg Dad’s New York Cheesecake (from the back of a Philidelphia Cream Cheese package) 1 ⅞ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ to ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar, divided 2 lbs cream cheese (4 packs) 2 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 450F Mix well graham crackers, 2 tbsp sugar, and enough butter that the mixture holds together. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the freezer while preparing the filling. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just blended. S

Tasty Tuesday: Roasted Broccoli

I ran across this recipe on Pinterest the other day that was labeled " The Best Broccoli Of Your Life. " I normally either steam our broccoli in the microwave or saute it with olive oil and red pepper flakes on the stove top. I decided this would be something to try. I did the salt, pepper and olive oil part of the recipe. I didn't have the majority of the other ingredients. In fact, all I had was a little bit of Parmesan  It was wonderful. Not the best broccoli of my life, but honestly, it was pretty close. And if I had the lemon juice and all that jazz, it may very well be the best. What have you been eating lately?