NO ALLOWANCE

I had a memory this morning while I was wiping the dust off my dress shoes for church.

WIWAK*, my mom would – about once a month – hand me the family ‘shoe-shine box’ and take me to the garage where she would have all of the family dress shoes piled up.  I was to shine all the shoes.  I didn’t question her on this assignment; I just settled in and did the job. I didn’t get paid for doing it, it was just part of my responsibility as the youngest member of the family.

I had other jobs too.

·         In the summer, I cut all the grass.

·         In the fall, I raked and burned all the leaves.

·         In the winter, I shoveled all the snow.

·         Occasionally, I’d be asked to wash the car.

·         In the spring I was asked to wash all of the screens for the windows and install them.  In the fall, I had to pack them away again for the winter.

There were probably other jobs that I’ve forgotten after sixty years or so.

My parents didn’t believe in allowances.  They didn’t hand me money, except a few rare occasions:

·         They would often go shopping with their best friends [Speed and Estella Fisher] on Friday nights.  Sometimes they’d go to ‘Northern Lights’ in Baden.  Other times they'd go to Boardman, Ohio and shop in a Gaylord’s store there.  They had other favorite spots, all of which were huge department stores/discount houses.  [Later, when I became older, they’d allow me to stay home alone.]  When we went to Gaylords, my dad would almost always give me a dime to spend.  He knew there were some arcade games in the back.  I would spend a good bit of time deciding which game I wanted to play.

·         When we went to Family Camp for ten days every July in East Liverpool, Ohio, he would give me a quarter every day – except Sundays, of course!  I usually bought ‘penny candy’ and pop cycles – which were $.05.  I learned early how to stretch money.  Of course, I also went through the straw in the tabernacle and frequently doubled my money by doing so!  Plus, I would pick up pop bottles and return them for $.02.  👌

I never complained about these small gifts – I thought they were great!

My dad was a firm believer in something that became a reality during the industrial revolution.  I later studied about it in college and seminary.  It was called the Protestant Work Ethic.  This emerged from the Puritan and Calvinistic beliefs of the early founders of our nation who believed that working was a way of fulfilling one’s duty to God.  Therefore, the work of ordinary believers had a dignity of its own.

“After flourishing for three centuries in America, the Protestant ethic began to disintegrate, with key elements slowly disappearing from modern American society, vanishing from schools, from business, from popular culture, and leaving us with an economic system unmoored from the restraints of civic virtue.”

[https://www.city-journal.org/article/whatever-happened-to-the-work-ethic]

The way this played out in my home was for my father to get me a job taking care of our doctor’s lawn all summer and fall.  I was eleven. The first two Saturdays, he took me to Dr. Chadwick’s home across from the Beaver County Country Club on Patterson Heights in Beaver Falls. 

He literally taught me how to work.

·         Don’t work real hard and then sit down for a rest.  Work steadily the whole time you’re there.

·         Never sit down to do your work!  If necessary [for instance, when mulching] work on your knees.  “You don’t want Mrs. Chadwick to look out and see you sitting down.”

·         Do a good job!  They’re paying you a dollar-an-hour – earn your money!

·         Be proud of your work when it’s all done – not until!

There were other points too – I don’t consciously remember them all.

So, every Saturday, I would ride my bike from Brighton Heights to the doctor’s – probably four miles that included some very steep hills. 

For an eleven-year-old-kid to be away from home all day Saturdays indicates that it was a far different period than we currently know.

As I got older, I would stop at Waite’s restaurant at the top of Ross Hill for a hot fudge Sunday before heading home.  😉 

I eventually picked up several other lawns to care for including Mr. Zachary Taylor’s home out Mercer road.  I’ve never admitted this before because he was the principal of the New Brighton High School.  I kept the fact that I worked for him a secret [until now] for fear of being ridiculed.  Once I turned sixteen, I picked up two or three more lawns in Beaver. 

I also had a TV Guide route all through my teen years.  That was nice because I only had to deliver it one day per week!  I had over seventy customers. Want some humor?  At that time, they cost $.15.  I made $.04 for each one that I delivered.  My dresser always had stacks of coins on it.  My mom taught me to take 10% and set it aside for my tithe.  Dad spoke to the church treasurer who, in turn, handed me a box of envelopes to use for my offering.  When my dad dropped his envelope into the plate, so did I - even though it only contained a few coins. 

My mom gave me $.35 every day for my lunch during high school.  Although we had an open lunch period, we were still allowed to buy our lunch [for $.35] at the Junior High cafeteria. 

Sadly, I have to admit that somedays that money was taken from me by bullies.  😒

However, I had several friends that would join me in hustling down to the Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe for lunch.  I would order three hot dogs with ‘everything-mustard’, a chili-fry, and a chocolate milkshake.  With $.05 tax, the order came to $1.  Because I worked, I was always able to add my own money to what my mom gave me and pay the bill. 

Please understand that we weren’t a poor family!  In early 1957, my parents bought a brand new home on William Penn Way – moving from Mt. Washington in Beaver Falls.  My dad worked forty-eight years for Townsend Company – mostly at Fallston, but some years at Elwood City and one year in Butler. 

As much as I loved sports, I received no encouragement to participate in them.  I regret that.  My encouragement was to work! 

I hope you don’t misunderstand this.  My parents had an approach to Christmas that was almost embarrassing!  I got everything that I would need for the year under the Christmas tree.  The gifts would be piled high!  It would take all morning to open them.  They would include:

·         New tennis shoes

·         New underwear [jokingly called ‘seat covers’ in our home]

·         Packets of Bic pens

·         Shirts

·         Pants: dress and blue jeans

·         School supplies

·         And, of course, toys and other gifts.

I remember being teased at school after Christmas break because every day I would wear a new shirt.  “Is that shirt a Christmas present, Harold?” 

When I turned sixteen, my dad went out and bought a 1963 Chevy Impala that was in great shape.  I loved that car!  He said, “Now son, this is your mother’s car, but you can feel free to use it anytime that she doesn’t need it.”  The car was virtually my car, because my mom didn’t like to drive and rarely needed it!  I could see my dad’s plan!  😉  A lot of Fridays, my mom would ask me to drive her around to pay bills and buy groceries.  I loved doing that!  And she loved having me do it! 

I had a remarkable childhood!  My parents gave me so much that would later help me to be fruitful and effective as I matured into adulthood. 

I never rebelled against their authority.  Oh, I smoked a few cigarettes and let a few profanities fly, but those were mostly to gain approval from my friends and classmates.  I loved my parents and tried my best to honor them.  They were one of the greatest blessings that God gave me!

I think what I got was much better than any allowance might have been!  😊❤

 

*  WIWAK  =  When I Was A Kid

MY CHILDHOOD CAMP BUDGET

I was ten in 1962. 

Christmas – for me during my growing-up years – was a huge time for receiving! Mom bought me school supplies, clothes, games, toys, underwear, socks; pretty much everything I would need to get me through until the next Christmas. 

Then, I got nothing in between – or at least very little. No school clothes in August. I usually did get a birthday gift in January, but it was often just given to me in a shopping bag. 

However, my Dad started me working when I was eleven. He cared for our doctor’s lawn and turned it over to me [he had done the same with my brother, Ira, years earlier]. He took two Saturdays to teach me the job and then turned me loose. I cared for that lawn until I left home in June, 1969, at seventeen years of age. I also added four more lawns to the list. So, the money I spent was usually my own. 

Before turning eleven, my Dad would give me a dime every weekday during camp meeting. I would choose very carefully how to spend it at the camp store. Popsicles were five cents, so that was usually my choice. 

But, don’t feel bad for me. In that day, you could return pop bottles for two cents! I would scavenge for pop bottles and could often double my daily budget! Fudgsicles were ten cents – I LOVED fudgsicles!!!!! 

But that wasn’t all. In the afternoon, I would go into the tabernacle and sift through the straw for pennies, nickels and dimes that fell out of people’s pockets during the offering time [the tabernacle had a dirt floor at the time, so they covered it with straw]! On a good afternoon, I could garner another ten to twenty cents! Woo Hoo! I would go to the camp store and fill my pocket with penny candy (non-existent today). Especially Tootsie Rolls! Maybe I’d splurge on an ice cream sandwich or ice cream on a stick. YUMMY! [I still wonder if some people dropped their change on purpose just to delight us kids?] 

Then, one year, something unbelievable happened! Our camp evangelist that year was Reverend A. J. West from Apollo, PA. On the last Saturday, one of his sons came to visit the camp. We were all up at the ballfield watching the big softball game; I wasn’t old enough to play yet. While standing there, this red-haired young man asked me if I would run to the store and get him an ice-cold pop. I said, “Sure!” He handed me a dollar bill and told me to buy myself one too! Oh – my – goodness! I was thrilled! I ran as fast as I could and then ran back with two cold Cokes (in glass bottles) and his change. When I went to hand him his change – BRACE YOURSELF – HE TOLD ME TO KEEP IT! 

I held in my hand sixty cents! I had hit the jackpot! I couldn’t believe it! I don’t think I’d ever had so much money of my own before! It was amazing! When he drank his bottle, I picked it up and added four more cents to my pocket! 

Doesn’t the Bible tell us to be wise as serpents? 

I wasn’t a rich kid, but with a little investment of time and some ingenuity, I did alright!

GOD IS YOUR SOURCE!

 Max Lucado writes about Abram and Sarai:   [Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, pp.110]

"Let's now consider the case of Sarai.  She's in her golden years, but God promises her a son.  She gets excited.  She visits the maternity shop and buys a few dresses.  She plans her shower and remodels her tent...but no son.  She eats a few birthday cakes and blows out a lot of candles...still no son.  She goes through a decade of wall calendars...still no son.  

Finally, fourteen years later, when Abram is pushing a century of years and Sarai ninety...when the wallpaper in the nursery has faded and the baby furniture is several seasons out of date...when the topic of the promised child brings sighs and tears and long looks into a silent sky...God pays them a visit and tells them that they had better select a name for their new son.  

Abram and Sarai have the same response:  laughter.  They laugh partly because it is too good to happen and partly because it might.  They laugh because they have given up hope, and hope born anew is always funny before it is real.

They laugh at the lunacy of it all.

Abram looks over at Sarai - toothless and snoring in her rocker, head back and mouth wide open, as fruitful as a pitted prune and just as wrinkled.  And he cracks up.  He tries to contain it, but he can't.  He has always been a sucker for a good joke.

Sarai is just as amused.  When she hears the news, a cackle escapes before she can contain it.  She mumbles something about her husband's needing a lot more than what he's got and then laughs again.

They laugh because that is what you do when someone says he can do the impossible.  They laugh a little at God, and a lot with God - for God is laughing, too.  Then, with the smile still on his face, he gets busy doing what he does best - the unbelievable.

He changes a few things - beginning with their names.  Abram, the father of one, will now be Abraham, the father of a multitude.  Sarai, the barren one, will now be Sarah, the mother."  

____________________________________________________

DECLARE WAR ON DEBT

Every year around this time I like to post something on this topic because SO MANY people struggle with debt issues.

At an earlier time in our lives, Debbie and I struggled with enormous debt.  It drove chronic depression in me for years!  I was personally convinced that we would NEVER be out of debt!  I dreaded retirement because I knew it would be horrible!

Then, God (and a few friends He directed our way) awakened me to new truth based on His Word!  I acquired new teachers to help me grow in knowledge:  Larry Burkett, Dave Ramsay, along with a couple of wise men that God brought to my side.  Eventually, we entered into a planned process to eliminate our debt.  It took about nine years and we completed the process while we lived in New Middletown, Ohio.  The completion of this process is what allowed us to go to China for three years!
 
Two years ago, we deliberated obtaining a Capital One card to take advantage of the cash-back perk.  We had been taught by our instructors to 'declare war on debt'!  Taking on a credit card did not fit in with the plan we had set in motion.  However, we had maintained no debt for nearly ten years and the benefits seemed worthy.

At first, we charged everything on this card in order to qualify for the promised bonus and to maximize our 'cash-back' incentive.  However, after two months we morphed into just using the card for major purchases.  [Charging everything was just too scary for us!]  We've done fine and have appreciated the benefit of hundreds of dollars returned to us!

We've enjoyed owning two brand new cars during our marriage:  a 1974 Mustang II, and a 1979 Ford Fairmont.  Other than that, we've driven used vehicles.  Currently, we own a 2003 Toyota Camry (which was given to us when we returned home from China), a 2005 Toyota Camry (which I purchased in January to be my Lyft car), and a 2008 Ford F-250 (to pull our 2001 Forrester 5th-wheel camper).  :-)

Having older vehicles suits me fine, however, occasionally they call for repairs.  This fall was one of those times!  All three vehicles made trips to Schultz's garage for repairs and maintenance.  Actually, each of the Camry's had to go twice!  We wound up charging over $2,000 on our Capital One card!  Uh-oh!  We were in debt again - for the first time in years!

Now, I confess, we have reserves that we could have used to liquidate that debt, but we are VERY cautious about dipping into that pool!  After using what was left from our 'emergency fund', we still owed a sizeable amount on our Capital One account!

So far, we have managed to make sacrificial payments on the account that have prevented us from paying any finance charges.

To further advance our cause, I have been Lyft-driving almost every day for the last two weeks.  Two days this week, I was on-the-road for over eleven hours!  As a result, we now have sufficient funds to pay off the card and (once again) eliminate our debt!  Woo Hoo!  PTL!

Debt has phenomenal power to rob you of your joy and destroy your life!  We must declare war on debt!  Don't use 'charge cards' this Christmas!  Better yet - don't overspend!  Your children won't remember the things you bought them, but they WILL remember the time you spent with them!  Do family projects.  Bake cookies and decorate them!  Play games.  Take walks.  Have snow-ball battles!  Build snowmen!  Watch movies!  Play video-games together.  Read books together!  Talk while sharing a meal!  Put a puzzle together!  Make home-made Christmas decorations!  String popcorn!  Play 'Hide-n-Seek'.

If you're in the process of paying off your debts - STICK WITH IT!  You will feel so much satisfaction and freedom when you've reached your goal!  Don't sacrifice your tithe to pay off your debts!  Honor God and He'll honor you!

LIKE MOM AND DAD

My Mom and Dad were frugal!  Although all four names that define my heritage (Haire, Archer, Walton and Powell) are of English derivation, I’m convinced there had to be some Scottish blood in there somewhere. 😉

At times, their frugality bothered me when I was growing up. I stated in another blog that I was 13 before I ever ate at a restarant. I wore lots of hand-me-down clothing.  There was a really cool guy at church, who was closer to my sister Bev's age, who used to point that out to the kids at church:  “Look, I told my mom to give my clothes to the Salvation Army, but it looks like she gave them to Harold Haire instead (followed by much laughter, of course)!

As a lifelong homemaker she was committed to saving money in any way possible.  She saved books of S&H Green stamps and redeemed them for our family's benefit.  She also clipped coupons and then watched for double and triple coupon days at various grocery stores!  She pinched a penny as well as anyone!  😊  Did I mention that she took me into Picway Self-Serve Shoe Mart to buy my shoes?

When I was a young teen, they went from old, canvas tent camping to the purchase of an off-brand, used, hard-top camper. They were so proud of it!  It was very small and shaped like the old Scottie campers.  They joined a camper’s club called “The Happy Wanderers” and enjoyed many wonderful weekends with couples who had MUCH BIGGER AND NICER campers. But my folks pulled in with pride and had as much (or more) fun than anyone!

When I was in high school, they bought a Shasta trailer that was newer and a bit larger. They were SO EXCITED!! By then, I was driving and didn’t camp much with them.   During this season of life they lost the cabin they had used for years at the Tri State Camp in East Liverpool. No problem;  they simply lived in their campers (on the same site that Charlie and Laurie Mahosky presently use).  🙂

They had each been raised through the Great Depression. As a result, they had cultivated a phenomenal capacity for being content with what they had. I can only imagine their joy in 1957, when they moved from Beaver Falls into a brand new home in New Brighton!  I was four-and-a-half years old. They paid $11,000!!  They lived in that house until thy died (Mom in 1981, and Dad in 1992).

Although at times I was embarrassed, I always knew that they had a quality that I also wanted to have. In addition, they practiced extreme generosity toward the church and missions!  And somehow, Dad always managed to squirrel away some money to give Mom when ‘Dollar Days’ came in Beaver Falls. 😉

I inadvertently hurt my Dad shortly after we were married. We had come home from Kentucky where  I was attending Asbury Seminary. I was working as a part time unloader at UPS and the union had been on strike seeking increased pay for part time workers. I excitedly told Dad that I would be making $4.70/hour upon my return to work (an exceptional pay for part time work in 1974).  I was disappointed that he didn’t seem to share my joy.  Before leaving, I brought it up again and asked him why he wasn’t excited about my raise. He responded:  “Son, I’ve worked for Townsend Company for forty-seven years (pause), and I’ve never made $4.70 an hour”.

But, he was content.

Like my Dad, I’ve never made big money either. I realize now that I probably would have been better off financially if I had stayed in the Pittsburgh Conference. Superintendents where I served didn’t advocate for pastor’s salaries while Pittsburgh Conference leaders (particularly Superintendent Jim Jobes) did!

Add to that the fact that my Dad and Mom did not deliberately pass on their wisdom about finances,  and Debbie and I were set up for trouble. Before too many years of marriage passed, we were in debt. Growing our family, low wages, financing two masters degrees and unwise financial management eventually led to chronic depression for me and a distinct lack of joy accompanied by a constant burden of stress due to our debt.

However, God intervened in our lives and used some instrumental people to set in motion a long-term plan to enable us to eliminate our substantial debt!  PTL!!!  Today, we own our home and our vehicles and have no debt!  Thanks be to God. And, like my parents, we are able to be generous with the church and missions (as well as others).

All these thoughts are triggered as I sit looking out over Pymatuning Lake! Debbie and I are here trying out our new camper!  After 45 years of camping in tents and pop-up campers, we have recently purchased a used 5th-wheel camper (2002)and a used Ford F-250 (2008) to pull it. We own them both!  😊  We’re pretty excited about it!

I guess, after all these years, a little of Mom and Dad did rub off!

If At First You Don't Succeed...

Travis' birthday having just passed (2/24), I've found myself thinking about him even more than usual.  I thought I'd share a story from his life that illustrates the wonderful work of a loving and caring God.

I've written previously about a season of my life when I was not operating wisely in the financial realm. Unfortunately, that season coincided with Travis' graduation from high school.

He was so intelligent and we knew that he really needed to go to college. However, we were already in significant debt with troubling cash-flow difficulties.  Lacking wisdom, we had not prepared to send our son to college. Debbie and I repeatedly took this problem to God in prayer.  We asked Him to provide a way for Travis to get a good education!   [For more on debt recovery, check out the post titled:  "Once upon a time..."]

This precipitated a difficult conversation with my son.  I had to confess my inadequacies and tell him that we were not prepared to be much help to him when it came to going to college.  Essentially, I told him, "Travis, I'm sorry! The only way you're going to be able to go to college is for your Mom and me to go further into debt - and for you to accrue debt yourself."

This was one of the low moments in my life!

However, Travis had done well in school and met the criteria for some level of help through scholarships. That was exciting, and we were proud of him!

We made quite a few day-trips to visit colleges.  His Mom and I liked Mt. Vernon Nazarene College in Ohio.  We could tell that Travis leaned toward Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.  Probably out of a desire to please us, he chose Mt. Vernon.

He called me during the fall semester and said, "Dad, they're more strict here than you were!  They won't even let us watch Seinfeld!"  Ha ha ha ha...

He came home early for the Christmas break due to a dormitory fire.  We thoroughly enjoyed having him home!  Right after Christmas, he announced that he was not going back to school!  He had joined the Navy!

I pretended to be ok with that decision, but inside I was very upset with him. I desperately wanted him to get a college education;  I knew the sky was the limit for Travis!

But, his thinking was to get the Navy to help him reach his goal - which at the time was to become a doctor.

He spent the next couple of months with us and then reported to boot camp in late March!  We attended his graduation and then they sent him to 'Power School' in Orlando.  (Poor boy!)

After over a year there, one of his chief's told him that he should apply to the Naval Academy:  "They're looking for guys like you;  and they take 90 from the enlisted ranks every year."

I told him to go for it.  He called months later saying that they wanted him to come for an interview.  Woo Hoo!

A month or so later, he called again and said that the interview seemed to go well!  More weeks passed and then he called saying that he had received an invitation to be part of the class of 2000!!!!!   All he needed was to get one of his state senators to give him a recommendation (each senator has the privilege of extending two recommendations.)

My heart immediately sank!

I explained to Travis that the state of Ohio had two of the most liberal senators and that I had written to each of them many times!  In my opinion, they would connect him to me and refuse to give him consideration. 
However, he was convinced he would get his recommendation.

He called a couple of weeks later and indicated that I was right - they wouldn't give him the time of day.

I asked if he had other options.  He said that he could possibly get a recommendation from the president or vice president.

After a pause, I told him that I had also written many letters to both of these men.  Again, ever the optimist, Travis was convinced that he would get a recommendation from either Bill Clinton or Al Gore.

After a couple of weeks, he called to report that they refused to consider his appeal.

You can only imagine how I was feeling at this point!  First, I had failed to prepare to send him to college. Now, I had inadvertently roadblocked his possibilities for attending the United States Naval Academy!!!!

I asked if there were any other options.  He said that the secretary of the Navy also had two recommendations to offer.  Then, he tentatively asked:  "Dad, you haven't written any letters to the Secretary of the Navy, have you?"

I was delighted to respond that I had NOT written to this man!

Remarkably, Travis got his recommendation and started Plebe summer at the USNA on July 2, 1996.

When his earthly father had botched it, his Heavenly Father found a creative route to get him a free education valued at over a quarter million dollars!!!!!!

Our God is an awesome God!!!!!!

Once Upon A Time...

With all the wild spending that takes place during these weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I thought I'd share part of our journey.

My parents were excellent money managers!  My Dad never made big wages working at Townsend Company.  I remember coming home from Kentucky about a year after we were married.  Excitedly, I told my Dad that UPS had settled their strike and I would be making $4.70 and hour as a result (part-time - unloading trucks).  He didn't express much joy regarding my good news, so I later questioned him about it. It was then that he told me that he had never made $4.70 an hour.  I was humbled.

Unfortunately, my parents never sat down and talked about their finances with me.  They modeled a frugal lifestyle and were content with what they had!  However, the instruction of how to manage money was never really discussed.

In our first year of marriage, we received a credit card in the mail!  It was exciting!  We had a $500 limit! So we used it!  That began our sad story. More credit cards arrived in those early years of our marriage. Seminary bills stacked up.  Then children started coming.  When I began my full-time ministry at the Jeannette Free Methodist Church, I received $100 per week. We easily qualified for WIC.

You know the story from there:

• cars
• repairs
• taxes
• clothes
• Christmas
• vacations
• finishing my MDiv at Pittsburgh Theological
• going on for a MA Counseling
• etc., etc. ad infinitum

At one point, I added up the facts.  We were over $60,000 in debt - without a house!  Financial stress was a daily reality!  I was juggling payments to try to keep everyone happy.  It drove a chronic depression in my life!  I faced the inevitable reality:  we would never get out of debt!  Several indicated that we were prime candidates for filing bankruptcy, however, we never considered that a viable option. 

I began to pray about the problem for the first time.  As a result of my prayers, God brought three men to my side.  

Pete Muschweck was the Oakland FMC treasurer.  He had a lot of wisdom regarding finances from his business experience.  He began to counsel me.

Ron Kelly was a parishoner at Oakland who freely shared his biblical wisdom with me.  For the first time in my life, I realized that God had a LOT to say about finances.  Ron helped me to grow in understanding these principles and applying them in my life!

Larry Burkett was a radio teacher (in Heaven now).  I began listening to his show every day!  I bought some of his materials and began to use them to plan our finances.

Later, we attended Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University to reinforce the principles we already knew!  

We used the common 'debt snowball' approach.  Our snowball at first was $20.  As we payed off a debt, the amount of that payment was added to our 'snowball' and applied to the next debt on our "knock-off list". It gradually grew - very slow at first.  By the end of the process it had grown to $700.  Our last debt fell in several months due to this extra-large payment boost!  

Our goal had been to eliminate our debt in seven years.  It actually took us eleven (the extra four years is a story for another time).  

I cannot express the joy that we experienced!  This was something that I had considered impossible!  I had surrendered to the fact that we would never be out of debt!  But, with the help of friends and the wisdom of God's Word - WE MADE IT!  

Debt is our enemy!  As counseled by our teachers, we declared WAR on debt! We planned and sacrificed to achieve our goal!  HALLELUJAH!  

And guess what?

If we did it - anyone can do it!  Ha ha ha ha - isn't that good news?  

Today, we enjoy a freedom that we did not know when we were younger.  We can do things that we couldn't do then.  We practice generosity regularly and have discovered the true joy of giving!  I am no longer driven to depression by our finances,  

If you're reading this and you're where we used to be - TAKE HOPE!  

Pay the small fee and sign-up for Financial Peace University.  It's actually fun!  It's a short term commitment that's always available somewhere - usually at churches.  Contact Crown Financial Ministries (the organization that Larry Burkett founded).  Get their resources and apply them.  Both of these organizations believe that the majority of families can be debt-free in seven years!  GET STARTED!

PS  -  I always lamented the poor example that we were for our children. However, thanks be to God, He seems to have used the situation to wake them up to the hardships that come with debt.  To the best of my knowledge, our kids are practicing good financial management!  Woo Hoo!  And thanks be to God!  

SOVEREIGN SECURITY

There have been two times that I've been unemployed for a brief period.

There was a season of our married life when we were in dire straights financially.  We were advised to file for bankruptcy.  We chose not to go that route.

We've faced the reality of tight finances for Christmases and vacations.

All of this was a combination of two expensive masters degrees, low income, and unwise management of our resources.

But this is not about procuring sympathy.

Throughout our lives, God has provided for us with such consistency that we have been amazed over and over again!  We are well aware that we have not deserved His help.  Yet, repeatedly, God has been good to us!

And it continues!  When we made our decision to step away from the pastoral ministry and go to China, we knew there would be financial challenges.  While paying off our debt, we have been able to set aside some funds for retirement.  We figured that we would simply tap into those resources.  Part of the beauty of going to China is that I will be paid;  therefore, we don't have to raise support.

Yet, in recent weeks, God has opened up heaven itself to us and poured out blessings beyond our wildest dreams! 

God has poured out His goodness to us through FMCC and special friends to such an extent that all of our needs have been met and we should not have to tap into our retirement savings!  We are overwhelmed with God's kindness and the generosity of the people He has used to bless us!  To be quite frank - we're humbled.

It's wonderful to live in a country that provides unemployment benefits, welfare, and social security.  However, I'm going to continue to put my confidence in God's SOVEREIGN SECURITY! 

How about you?  Remember:  He doesn't love us any more than He loves you!

THE TRAILER

Deb and I were rolling down Calla Road two years ago.  I'd been looking for a small trailer for some time to haul our two four-wheelers around.  Deb called out:  "Hey you just passed the kind of trailer you've always wanted!"

I turned around to examine it.  The sign read $300.  I could see right away that it was worth it.  It was perfect for my needs - the four-wheelers would fit on it side-by-side! 

Problem:  We'd been through Dave Ramsay's Financial Peace University and his rule is, "If you don't have the cash, don't buy it!"  I didn't actually have the cash that Monday;  but I would by Friday.  I debated, then stuck to Dave's principle and drove on.  It was tough to do!

All week I drove by that trailer and wondered that it hadn't sold yet. 

On Thursday, I drove by and a new sign was out:  $200.  I stopped and talked to the owner.  He'd refit the trailer as a project for his schooling at New Castle School of Trades:  new hitch, new lighting, completely refurbished flatbed.  Plus, it was a tilt-bed! 

I explained that I got paid on Friday.  I asked if he'd hold it for me.  He agreed to do so.  I went back the next morning, paid him, and pulled it home. 

I haven't had the four-wheelers on it yet.  A couple of friends have borrowed it.  I used it once when I purchased a hot-dog-stand.

However, in the last month it has made several dozen trips to our storage unit.  I have been so thankful to have it.  It saved me borrowing someone's truck, and carries more than a truckbed too! 

I consider it God's blessing for my obedience!  He even saved me $100.  God is good!

HOW TO PAY FOR A BABY

I was attending Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.  My plan was to return to the Pittsburgh Conference to begin my ministry.  Our conference superintendents (we had three back then) assured me that - as a seminary student - we were completely covered by the conference's health insurance program.

However, when Debbie became pregnant in 1975, they sent our bills back with the notice that they had been in error.  We were NOT covered.

The pregnancy included complications.  Several months in, Dr. Dunkelberger restricted her to bed for three weeks.  Daily, I carried her to the living room every morning;  and then back to the bedroom every night!  The difficulty passed - PTL!

Then, on February 24, 1976, Travis was born!

He came breach-backwards and required a Ceasarian Section!  Nevertheless, we were happy to have a healthy baby boy!

Weeks later, the bills began to arrive.  They accumulated to over $3,500.  We were overwhelmed! 

After a period of prayer and deliberation, I went to the First Security National Bank (where Debbie had previously worked) and took out a 3-year loan for the full amount. 

In return, we received a coupon book!  I recently found it while sorting through old files. 

We paid for Travis on the installment plan - $94.26/month! 

I brought the coupon book home and flashed it to Deb saying:  "We don't have another one until this one is paid for!"  

And that's how you pay for a baby!

OUR NET WORTH

I was sorting through a box that hadn't been opened in years.  I came across some neatly folded papers.  They were financial records from a much earlier period of our lives (about four years into our marriage - 1977).

At the top of one page:  HOW MUCH ARE WE WORTH?

Then followed a list of assets.  I started reading down the long list - out loud to Deb.

• Ford Mustang II - $1400
• Ward's 10-speed bikes - $120
• Ward's stereo - $280
• 2 electric fans - $20

We started to laugh...I kept reading...

• 2 lamps - $5 
• TV - $100
• record cabinet - $5
• play pen - $5
• desk - $10

Now, we're belly laughing...

• 2 steel utility shelves - $10
• can opener - $5
• mixer - $10
• blender - $10
• iron - $10
• 3 wall clocks - $20

Now, we're having trouble breathing!

• snack trays - $5
• calculator - $5
• suit cases - $10
• food on hand - $100
• 214 record albums - $1070
• baby crib - $25
• typewriter - $20

I'll spare you the details, but the list went on-and-on-and-on.  We haven't laughed so hard in years! 

Our assets totaled $7,939.
Our liabilities totaled $6,258.
Our net worth totaled $1,681.

:-)  And we were dileriously happy! 

POINT  -  It's not about the stuff!

DON'T GO INTO DEBT!

Why do I say this to you?  Because I've been there and done that, and I've suffered the pain of that process!  I'd LOVE to help you avoid that pain.

Christmas, more than any other time of year, tempts us to spend money we don't have.  We want to be generous.  People are going to give us gifts and we want to reciprocate.  We want people to think well of us.  We don't want them to know that our finances are in horrible shape.

As a result, we short-circuit and start spending on credit.  We block out thoughts about the consequences of our actions.  We satisfy our immediate desires and refuse to allow ourselves to think of the impact this will have on us in January.

Not a good scenario...

If you're on-the-verge of this kind of behavior - STOP!!!!

Don't do it!  Don't set yourself back financially.  Don't set yourself up for misery and depression in the New Year!  Exercise restraint! 

Here are some alternative things you can do to keep your finances from getting worse:

• Let people you usually exchange gifts with know that you're exercising restraint this year because you're trying to restore balance to your finances.  If they really love you, they'll be impressed and understand.
• Write letters instead of giving gifts!  People love to read nice things about themselves!  Write your friends a note telling them everything you appreciate about them.  They'll read it over and over again!
• Use your talents, be creative!  Debbie and I had friends in Maryland named Forrest and Eileen Grauel.  They called and asked if they could stop by.  Upon their arrival, they set up a tape deck and started some music playing.  Forrest sang us a lovely Christmas song;  then they verbally expressed their gratitude and told us what they appreciated about us.  Then they packed up and left!  And we were so blessed! 
• Give away your treasure!  We all have things of value that we keep clinging to.  Give something valuable away!  Include a note telling the person how much this has meant to you over the years.  Write:  "Instead of going out and spending money on something meaningless, I've decided to give you something that actually means a great deal to me."
• Make something!  Give the gift of home-made cookies!  Or something knitted or crocheted.  Carry in a meal!  Put together a photo book of memories or a collage of pictures.  Make a handcraft! 
• Use your skill to do something nice for someone.  If you have mechanical skills, give them a coupon for a free brake job or a detailing job.  Give them a coupon for a home-made meal at your house!  Offer to repair something that you know is broken. 

All of these gifts will be far more appreciated than something you would go out and spend a lot of money on! 

The best gift you could give a lot of your family and friends is the gift of time and attention! 

Just do yourself a favor and DON'T GO INTO DEBT!

God's Provision

Debbie works as a teacher's assistant at the local elementary school.  She gets paid hourly.  We save through the year so we can pay ourselves through the summer.  It goes so easily because of graduations, weddings, vacations, and other special summer activities.  Every year we bump up the amount we're saving from each pay!

This summer, we were surprised again at how much we had spent by the end of July.  We'd essentially spent $500 more than we planned by that time.  We sat down and looked the situation over.  It would mean being frugal for the last week of July and the first four weeks of August.  But, if we stayed faithful to a strict budget, we would have $400 to cover our end-of-summer vacation.  We made a pact and placed our budget sheet in the kitchen where we would see it every day.

On Sunday, our church leaders officially welcomed us back for the 2011-12 year.  They handed us a card.  After preaching and the carry-in dinner our treasurer asked if I'd opened my card.  I slipped to the side to do so;  then quickly took it to Debbie to read.  It was a very kind expression of gratitude for our service - and included a check for $500.

Notice how much God loves!  We hadn't even asked for more money - just self-discipline.  But out of His great generosity and love, He gave us just what we needed. 

Here's a tip:  As an expression of our gratitude, we've already passed part of that gift on to someone who had a need! 

This is the way God's economy works!  Start now honoring Him with your finances!  Jesus spoke more about money than He did about Heaven!  Something to think about...