Sabbath Monday #3

Well this Sabbath Monday has been productive--in a restful sort of way.

Eric is starting a series this Sunday on Financial Management, so for a week I've been reading Dave Ramsey's book "Total Money Makeover", since Eric ordered a bunch of them to sell at the BookShop. (We always sell --at cost-- books related to the current message topics). Well, let me tell you, it's FANTASTIC! Not a get-rich-easy thing or anything. More like a change-your-heart-and-tighten-your-belt thing. Get out of debt like a madman. Then plan for the future.

So I've been working up a plan to get out of debt (yes, we do have debt). And I haven't been "allowed" to talk to Eric about it until today, when he was finished with the Ten Commandments series. Now he's ready to focus on money--both what the Bible says about it (for his sermons)--AND what Dave Ramsey says about it (for our personal use/practical steps to share in the sermons). I'm VERY excited about the process...and I'm praying that my husband will be too. Well, he is...except money isn't really his favorite topic to mess with. This whole thing was HIS idea. I'm just implementing. According to my Best Case Scenario workup, we could have NO DEBT except for the mortgage and some student loans by January. (I'll let ya know how that works out!) :-) We could use your prayers!

God (by way of a family in our church) blessed us yesterday with a gift card to a favorite restaurant, for use on our Sabbath--so I don't have to cook! We didn't arrange for a sitter today--but rather, Eric will be picking up our dinner "to go" this evening. I'm so excited...their Reubens are SCRUMPTIOUS! We'll be using that gift card for the next 2 Mondays! Maybe next week we'll go out instead.

Eric went to Cabela's with a friend today, and spent some of his Christmas gift card from Chrissie & Garrett. He came home & strung his Muskie pole with new line. He's so anxious for fishing season, he can practically taste the fried Pike. He gets his fishing & boat licenses on March 1, if we stay under budget. :-)

Braden's enjoying himself in Arizona, though Grandpa Dykstra got the flu. He said they eat out every day, and he's been swimming in the heated pool...and roller blading. The first morning there, he said he & Grandpa Boehlje picked a grapefruit off the tree & split it for breakfast. I bought him a disposable camera, and he said he got a picture of a scorpion and jumping cactus. I hope they turn out!

Holland's thoroughly enjoying sharing a bedroom with someone (she has taken over Braden's bed). Aidan is keeping us busier than ever. And he's thoroughly enjoying the "special privileges" he's getting with some of the toys since his brother's gone.

Dave (our pastor of worship arts) turned 24 yesterday. He brought some leftover cake to work with him today, so we enjoyed some of that. His family was up from IA for the weekend.

I'm itchy today since we ran out of water softener salt & though we filled it last night, it hasn't softened all the water yet. (No, I don't know how it works.)

Don't forget to post a comment or email me & let me know how you are.
Blessings!