Photo Credit: © 2006 Lynne Holder

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Person In The Mirror

Meeting #2 with Dwayne finally happened! Yay!

Boo.............

We have it in black and white, and it ain't pretty. After all the drastic cutbacks there's only one thing left that we can possibly cut back. Care to hazard a guess?

Food.

But I hardly eat anything! Looking over at Leland, I declared, YOU eat a boatload of food!

Again, I slumped in my chair and tried to take in what Dwayne was saying. Fear began to creep in while my mind started racing about how I could possibly cut something so essential.

I can't cut back on food. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't eat much, but what I eat is very healthy. If I cut back, I won't eat a damn thing!

Regardless of the fact that I didn't even eat dinner tonight, there it is--the cold, hard truth. We have to look in the mirror and realize that the problem is not money, it's the person looking back.

According to The Total Money Makeover, we need behavior modification in the manner in which we shop for food. Cut the number of trips to the store, first off, but since I am not likely to exchange my healthy food for Kraft mac and cheese, bologna and Wonder Bread, we (*cough* Leland) will simply have to eat less of what we like, or maybe we'll eat none of some of those things.

Next modification is to keep the debit card in the wallet and use cash. Does anyone use cash anymore?

However we buy food, I don't see cutting one or two small things every couple weeks is going to amount to more than chump change--but we are going to give it a go.

The road to financial freedom is a one lane dirt path, full of potholes and rocks, and my shock absorbers are beginning to wear out.

I'm curious to know others who have traveled that road before us. Care to share your story?

3 comments:

  1. Lynne - I have not traveled your road so have nothing to offer on the "how to" or "what it was like" ... I do, however, have great admiration for your transparency and dedication. I know it's been in my times of greatest need and humility that I can now look back and see how God was using those circumstances to draw me into a closer relationship with Him and my prayer is that this is what is happening for you and Leland.
    THAT is my prayer ...

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    Replies
    1. Hi Kim,

      Welcome! Thanks for stopping by!

      Thank you for your kind words. I always hesitate before hitting "Publish" after I've bared my soul and our lives, because this is all so personal. But I believe that part of the reason we go through difficult circumstances is to learn and in turn, share and encourage.

      It's so interesting that your comment precisely reflects the content of a book I'm reading, given to me by a member of my small group--"Problems, God's Presence, & Prayer", by Michael Wells. We turn to Him, surrender our own devices and methods, and then He can finally do the work He has in mind.

      Very timely comment! Thank you!

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    2. And thank you, my friend, for your prayers. We do so appreciate them!

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