Ok we’re doing it. Really doing it. Ah! My stomach is doing that flip flop that happens right before, well, I suppose right before you bungee jump or sky-dive or something. But since I never do things like that I guess it’s the flip-flop that happens right before you give a big chunk of your budget! Yikes!
This week has been a sweet blessing. We’ve spent it at the beach with the kids and my parents. They used their RCI points and got us a wonderful condo on the beach–the kids played for hours every day in the sand, I made us healthy frugal concoctions each night for dinner, and my dad made sure we fattened up by stocking the freezer with Tillamook ice cream. What a treat! We shared a room with our kids, which meant we were forced to sleep from 8 or 9pm until 8am each morning, a great requirement for us! Plus, the internet at the hotel didn’t work, which was an annoyance and a blessing all at once. I had already scheduled all the Journey posts this week, so that was fine, and it kept us from wasting time online, which we are known to do. Actually, right now the kids are resting and Jeff and I snuck off the public library to do some quick email checking. It feels good to get connected but it was nice to be unplugged.
We went through the excitement on Monday night of receiving a full-price offer on our house (!!!!), but then the buyer withdrew her offer as she got cold feet. So we went through 24 hours of being ecstatic, and then felt a little disappointed when it was withdrawn, but the bottom line is that God’s timing will be perfect, and it’s His house, His money, and we are His family. He’ll do what’s right, amen?
So today we set up our new budget and set up our new cash envelopes, which is extremely simplified when there are only 4 spending categories (groceries, gas, co-pays, and Jeff’s $12 haircut :). I got a little nervous, I’ll admit, as I went through the excel spreadsheet literally deleting rows left and right. But then I opened up another internet tab and spent some time looking up poverty and giving opportunities in Africa, and my nervousness subsided. I think the bottom line is keeping it all in perspective.
For those of you who are interested, we’ve decided to do a variety of things including child sponsorship, helping dig wells and provide clean water, and fund micro-loans for entrepreneurial (I cannot believe I spelled that word right on the first try, by the way) development. I admit I feel a little bit dizzy by all the need and how to know what to do, but I guess the best way to start is just to start and ask God for wisdom along the way.
I haven’t actually bought anything this week so I don’t have any Frugal Friday thoughts, but I’m excited that so many of you are wanting to jump in with the Food Stamp Challenge. So I will definitely include more of the meals/recipes/where to shop/details that you have requested, once I’m home and not sitting outside the Rockaway Public Library in my car snatching a few minutes of their graciously-provided free internet.
So happy Friday to you. I trust and pray there’s more to come, as we adventure by faith together in this sacred mundane life.