10 minute warning

The Sermon at Church on Sunday was about managing money and assets so that we can live an abundant life.  A couple of things that our Pastor suggested frankly would be pretty hard to do.

One was to Live below our means.  That way you never have debt and always have breathing room for emergencies and or to do something you really want to do.  If I could get back to “ground zero” I think I am going to give this a try.  If my house sells, I can be completely debt free and have money to start completely over and easily live within my means.  But I’m gonna give Pastor Rusty’s suggestion a try if I get to that point.

I’m not materialistic.  People who know me will tell you that I am not extravagant by any means, that I rarely spend money on myself.  My car is a 2005 model and I only traded “up” to that because my sister in law made me a deal I couldn’t pass up and it was YELLOW and a STANDARD, 2 things I really, really wanted in my next car.  Had it not been for that “fluke” of an opportunity, I’d still be driving my 2000 Chrysler with 200,000 miles on it. It still runs good, looks good.  Now it’s my spare car.  I probably should sell it but know I wouldn’t get much for it. 

My “vice” is probably eating out.  I could easily cook but truly it’s a hassle to cook for one.  But even that is rare anymore because of the weight loss/get healthy kick I’m on.  Much easier to eat healthy if I eat at home.  Though I will say that fruits and vegetables are a lot more costly than chips and cookies.  My other extravagance is probably  visiting my kids in Austin and my family in Kingfisher.   Still, in the scheme of things, the gas that it takes to go to those places is a drop in the bucket.  And seeing my family is priceless.

I had the same console TV purchased in 1983 until a year ago.  That’s when my kids encouraged me to upgrade.  The 1983 model still works.  It just doesn’t have all the fancy stuff on it.  Currently its being used as a tv stand for the new tv  because it is so heavy that I can’t move it upstairs which is the only place I would have to put it. 

My Dell computer is about 4 years old.  I’d replace it but see no reason to. It works and it serves its purpose.  I still have a 3g I-phone because even though it would be nice to have video capabilities,the phone works and serves its purpose.   To upgrade to an I-phone was a big deal. Had my flip phone not broken in half one day when I dropped it and the I-phone been the same price as a new flip phone I probably wouldn’t have that.

Its not that I’m cheap either. I just don’t really put a lot of importance on things.  If I had a lot of extra money it would be spent taking trips, seeing the world and I’d take my kids along.  And using it to help others I think.  I’d go on mission trips.  I learned long ago that the “newness” wears off pretty quick.  The pastor talked about the spirituality of discontent. 

I think I have a spirit of contentment most of the time.  It wouldn’t take major changes to simplify my life because its pretty simplified as it is.  And what I crave is even more simplicity.   I’d love to move to the country, to a smaller place and sit on the porch at night and count the stars.

If I were to go out and buy something for myself today, be a little extravagant, it’d probably be one of those Kindle things.  I am an avid reader and I just think that would be so cool to have a book with you no matter where you were.  I was struggling to keep a book open propped on the treadmill yesterday at the gym while I worked out.  Both people next to me had Kindles and I was truly envious.  

We were asked during the course of the sermon to think about a situation where you had 10 minutes to gather all the things that were important to you and leave your home, knowing that you would not be able to return.  In that 10 minutes, what would you grab.

Topping my list was my dogs, Shelby and Quincy who are irreplaceable.  The quilts my mom made me, the boxes of photos, and my computer (at least the tower because I have a lot of unfinished writings in that computer—not to worry, I have them backed up on a memory stick), and my Bibles and the jewelry my mom left to me.   My  I-phone would be in my hand or pocket already so wouldn’t have to grab it. Everything else, while I’d be sad to lose it, is replaceable.  Not really important to me if time was running out.   I’d probably grab my cpap machine so that wherever I ended up staying wouldn’t have to listen to me snore.  And my medications so I wouldn’t have to stand in line at Walmart for an hour to refill. LOL

In a world where you can buy the latest and greatest whatever one day and a week later it is obsolete because of newer technology, it’s a never ending battle if you are trying to keep up with the latest trend.  

Oh for the days of old, when life was simpler.  When a cup of coffee with a friend meant brewing a cup of coffee in your kitchen and sitting at the table looking out into the yard, visiting and sipping a cup.  Where to have cake for dessert you spent the afternoon mixing flour and sugar and butter and eggs and licking the spoon (because even though there was a risk of salmonella you didn’t think about those things).   Where the ice cream truck song coming closer was a frantic scramble for change to buy a popsicle for quarter or a dreamsicle for 30 cents.   Where I didn’t have to figure out how to download or upgrade or dvr something.

Living simple in a complicated world.   Worth a try I guess.  Maybe I’ll google living simple and see what advice the internet has.  LOL