Perspective

It's funny how we see things. The old adage that "one person's junk is another's treasure" is very true.

Have you ever been driving through a neighborhood and seen something they put out with the trash can and said "Hmmmmmm I've been wanting a new ceiling fan"? Yeah, me too!

Interesting how that happens isn't it. Here's the thing about perspective. It is much easier to see the good in things you don't have than in the things you do have. We have this strange desire for almost anything we don't already have.

In Philipians 4 Paul said "For I have learned to be content..." We have to learn to be content with what God has given us and where He has put us. It is not easy but definitely a better place to live. I have gotten there with many things. Now that doesn't mean that I wouldn't love to have a 4 door F150 in the garage, but it means that I don't go get it until I have a "NEED" for it. It is not easy but it is the best way. Long term me and my family will be much better off financially, emotionally and spiritually because we are content where we are with what we have. This contentment is only gained by practice and God's grace.

I pray this contentment for you and your family. We talk about contentment in week 9 of Crown.

By the way, if you are out and about feel free to take the exercise bike by my trash can. If I left a shirt hanging on it leave it by the garage.

Later.

Generation Debt

Statistics say that the average newly wed couple tries to accumulate in the first three years of marriage what it took their parents a lifetime to accumulate. I don't know about you but when I think about what that means for my kids it is very scary. Our desire to have bigger, better, more, quicker can be devastating for a marriage.

Proverbs 22:7 says, "Just as the rich rule the poor so the borrower is servant to the lender" We will discuss this more in week 3 of Crown. But the truth is the more we are in debt the harder it is for us to be servant to God (" You cannot serve both God and money " Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13). Practically speaking if you are having to work two jobs to make ends meet you don't have time to serve God.

It is very difficult to go against culture and not be a part of Generation Debt. I saw an article today that talked about "Staying Frugal in the Age of the iPhone". There are so many "cool" new gadgets in our world it is hard to stay focused on our goals for wanting to be a part of this "age".

I pray that you will stand out from the crowd and show your children that you can have a great life while staying out of debt. A good marriage between a mom and dad are much more important for your kids to see than your new iPhone.

I have linked the article below. Have a great day.

http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/generationdebt/46569;_ylt=Ajy5O.d1jBrs37shNbVbpF67YWsA

How Rich Are You!!

I saw an article today that is pretty amazing!! Apparently there is a resort in Sri Lanka that has a dessert on its menu that costs $14,500. When I saw this I really expected there to be some sort of exotic animal part in the dessert. However, it turns out they put an 80 carat Aquamarine Gem stone in the thing. I wonder how much it would cost to fix your teeth after biting down on it? Anyway, that is amazing. $14,500 for a dessert (and a rock). That is more money than some 90% of the world's population makes in a year. Incredible.

I don't know about you but even if I could afford that dessert I wouldn't buy it. I guess what puts it in perspective though is we would have no problem spending that on a "good" used car.

WE TRULY ARE RICH!

Remembering that we are rich is a big challenge. I have to deal with that in myself everyday. As we move toward week two in Crown it is vital that we remember: "Everything in the Heavens and earth are Yours O Lord!"

Have a great day.

In The Beginning!!

Good morning!!

Everything has to start somewhere and sometime. So I am beginning this blog today. Hopefully I will remember to update it often. My goal is to put helpful info here for anyone (especially those in our Stewardship Ministry) to use in their daily lives. I know I have to be reminded daily how God wants me to live.

The first thing we do in our Crown classes (find out more @ Crown.org) is establish that our way of thinking is not in line with God's. (Isaiah 55:8-9) This is never more true than in the area of finances. Our challenge is to find out what God says about money that we are not in line with. There are two ways to do that. First, you can read the Bible and pick them out yourself, which is great but difficult. Second, you can join a Crown class and walk through His word with a group. I believe joining a group will yield more fruit for your journey. For more info contact jamie@northstarchurch.org

If you are currently in a group or have been through the class you know that our memory verse for the first week is Luke 16:11. Next week we will recite 1 Chronicles 29:11-12. Tough verse but we need to remember it for our daily living. I truly enjoyed our group last night and look forward to Friday night's first meeting and the second meeting of our Sunday night group.

Have a great day!! Write down everything you spend!