via Christian Personal Finance by bob
Define Your Financial Purpose
What are you on earth for? Millions have read Rick Warren’s Purpose-Driven Life and found a sense of purpose. Have you found purpose in a certain career, position, or situation? What is the purpose of your money? Money can buy a lot of things, but there are also a few things it can never buy:
Money can buy:
* . . . a bed, but not sleep
* . . . books, but not knowledge
* . . . a clock, but not time
* . . . a position, but not respect
* . . . food, but not an appetite
* . . . a house, but not a home
* . . . medicine, but not health
* . . . sex, but not love
* . . . amusement, but not happiness
* . . . a crucifix, but not a savior
You should be able to answer the question “What is the purpose of my financial plan?” This includes reasons why you are saving, investing, or incurring debt. What is the “bigger picture”? More important, what does God want you to accomplish through your finances?
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help get you started:
* If money weren’t an issue, what would I be doing?
* My ideal job would be what?
* I would like to spend my days doing what?
* My life is not complete until this is done: ______________________________.
* If I died today, how would I want people to remember me?
* What are the community/social/religious issues I feel most passionate about?
Seeking help with a personal financial plan... talk with Pastor Steve at WestlockNaz at gmail dot com
Friday, August 21, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
An Encouraging Story of Getting Out of Debt: Patrick Gessleman
Patrick has been only been on the journey to clean up his finances less than 2 years, but because of his tremendous progress he was recently interviewed by Chuck Bentley of Crown.Org.
Patrick's Story
Patrick did the hard and difficult things that he needed to do - it is easy to read all about how to manage money, but actually taking the steps to do it is another story.
He and his wife Heather were digging themselves into deep debt with credit cards and decided to roll all their debt into a home equity loan. Just like many others, after they consolidated their debt, things got worse. They had put a Band Aid on the symptom (the debt), but didn't properly address the root of the problem (their spending habits). As a result they just dug themselves into deeper debt by racking up another $25,000 in credit card debt.
* At this point they knew they needed help, but didn't know where to start.
* He started immersing himself in the subject he was trying to learn.
* He talked to his wife and they tackled the problem in unity.
* They locked up their credit cards and made it very difficult to use them. They stopped carrying them in their wallets.
* They used a virtual envelope budgeting system.
* They sold their house and began renting which allowed them to pay off their credit card debt a lot quicker.
They Fought For It!
Patrick and his wife didn't just want to get out of debt, they took action. Getting out of debt doesn't happen by accident. People who pay off $20,000 of debt do it because they want it SO bad and they make big sacrifices to get it.
Patrick's Story
Patrick did the hard and difficult things that he needed to do - it is easy to read all about how to manage money, but actually taking the steps to do it is another story.
He and his wife Heather were digging themselves into deep debt with credit cards and decided to roll all their debt into a home equity loan. Just like many others, after they consolidated their debt, things got worse. They had put a Band Aid on the symptom (the debt), but didn't properly address the root of the problem (their spending habits). As a result they just dug themselves into deeper debt by racking up another $25,000 in credit card debt.
* At this point they knew they needed help, but didn't know where to start.
* He started immersing himself in the subject he was trying to learn.
* He talked to his wife and they tackled the problem in unity.
* They locked up their credit cards and made it very difficult to use them. They stopped carrying them in their wallets.
* They used a virtual envelope budgeting system.
* They sold their house and began renting which allowed them to pay off their credit card debt a lot quicker.
They Fought For It!
Patrick and his wife didn't just want to get out of debt, they took action. Getting out of debt doesn't happen by accident. People who pay off $20,000 of debt do it because they want it SO bad and they make big sacrifices to get it.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Everything I Need To Know About Software I Learnt In Sunday School
by John Eddie Kerr on Cooking With Linux
Well, that is a bold statement; what can all those ones and zeros, bits and bytes have to do with the lessons taught in Sunday school? They do not teach programing in Sunday School, but two lessons in particular may help guide us to the kind of software we should be writing or using. Two Bible stories come to mind when I think of the history of GNU/Linux: The Parable of the Good Samaritan, and the story of the Loaves and the Fishes.
Listening to Richard M. Stallman speak of the origins of Free Software Movement it is obvious that he places tremendous value on the ability that we have to help one another, to share, and to be a community. The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells us that that this is what we should be doing. Freedom number two of the four freedoms echoes it well: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour.
Linus Torvalds gave the free software movement a big boost by writing a kernel that enabled GNU software to run on a personal computer. I think of it as one of the closest things a mortal could do that is similar to the feeding of the 5,000. In the Gospel of John we read of a young boy's offering of a very small amount of bread and fish that was able to feed 5,000 people. This was the miracle of the loaves and the fishes; a Gospel story so much like the humble beginnings of GNU/Linux. I am sure that the boy who gave his small lunch to be shared had no idea that he was going to feed 5,000 people. Linus no doubt, had no idea as to how far his initial little program could go. Once again the concept of sharing and giving is there.
So if someone says “I don't get this free lunch thing” of the Free Software Movement or of GNU/Linux, just remind the person of the feeding of the five thousand and that the Free Software Movement is made up of people who like the young boy, believe that one person can make a difference and are willing to give to make that difference.
If a person remains unconvinced and questions who will pay for it? How is it sustained? there is a Biblical answer to that as well and is found in Matthew 6:25-27 (New International Version)
http://www.biblegateway.com:
Jesus said:"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
If anything, that passage of the Bible is what we should keep in mind during these troubled times.
Well, that is a bold statement; what can all those ones and zeros, bits and bytes have to do with the lessons taught in Sunday school? They do not teach programing in Sunday School, but two lessons in particular may help guide us to the kind of software we should be writing or using. Two Bible stories come to mind when I think of the history of GNU/Linux: The Parable of the Good Samaritan, and the story of the Loaves and the Fishes.
Listening to Richard M. Stallman speak of the origins of Free Software Movement it is obvious that he places tremendous value on the ability that we have to help one another, to share, and to be a community. The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells us that that this is what we should be doing. Freedom number two of the four freedoms echoes it well: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour.
Linus Torvalds gave the free software movement a big boost by writing a kernel that enabled GNU software to run on a personal computer. I think of it as one of the closest things a mortal could do that is similar to the feeding of the 5,000. In the Gospel of John we read of a young boy's offering of a very small amount of bread and fish that was able to feed 5,000 people. This was the miracle of the loaves and the fishes; a Gospel story so much like the humble beginnings of GNU/Linux. I am sure that the boy who gave his small lunch to be shared had no idea that he was going to feed 5,000 people. Linus no doubt, had no idea as to how far his initial little program could go. Once again the concept of sharing and giving is there.
So if someone says “I don't get this free lunch thing” of the Free Software Movement or of GNU/Linux, just remind the person of the feeding of the five thousand and that the Free Software Movement is made up of people who like the young boy, believe that one person can make a difference and are willing to give to make that difference.
If a person remains unconvinced and questions who will pay for it? How is it sustained? there is a Biblical answer to that as well and is found in Matthew 6:25-27 (New International Version)
http://www.biblegateway.com:
Jesus said:"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
If anything, that passage of the Bible is what we should keep in mind during these troubled times.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Duarte, Graves, and Toler installed as General Superintendents
On Thursday, July 2, 2009 in Orlando, Florida Eugenio Duarte, David W. Graves, and Stanley A. Toler were officially installed as members of the Board of General Superintendents, as part of the denomination's 27th General Assembly in Orlando, Florida.
This was the final service of the event, bringing this joyous and historic quadrennial gathering to a close.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Have you ever seen a Rich Victim?
Jay Peroni, author of The Faith-Based Millionaire asks if any of the following excuses sound familiar?
Blaming the world limits your choices. You can either take responsibility or continue playing the blame game. By taking responsibility, you admit your part in creating the problem. There is always a cause-and-effect relationship. So if you concentrate on what you could do differently, you can begin to create new opportunities. You can make progress, but you first have to start taking responsibility for your actions.
In order to make financial progress, you need to identify areas in your financial life that you would like to change and commit to finding solutions. If you need some help, ask Pastor Steve about "The Christian's Guide to Financial Freedom"
- I was late because of traffic.
- I have been so busy that I haven’t been eating right or exercising so that is why I put on a few pounds.
- My company isn’t paying me enough, so I cannot save for retirement.
Blaming the world limits your choices. You can either take responsibility or continue playing the blame game. By taking responsibility, you admit your part in creating the problem. There is always a cause-and-effect relationship. So if you concentrate on what you could do differently, you can begin to create new opportunities. You can make progress, but you first have to start taking responsibility for your actions.
In order to make financial progress, you need to identify areas in your financial life that you would like to change and commit to finding solutions. If you need some help, ask Pastor Steve about "The Christian's Guide to Financial Freedom"
Monday, June 8, 2009
Who are the most generous givers?
An article in McClatchy Newspapers looks at the various income brackets in the U.S. and their average giving percentages. It turns out that the poor are the most generous in terms of percentage of income given.
The 2 most common reasons why the poor gave:
An understanding of sowing and reaping
"I believe that the more I give, the more I receive, and that God loves a cheerful giver," Davis said. "Plus I’ve been in their position, and someday I might be again."
Less fear about money than the rich
Herbert Smith, 31, a Seventh-day Adventist who said he tithed his $1,010 monthly disability check — giving away 10 percent of it — thought that poor people give more because, in some ways, they worry less about their money.
"We’re not scared of poverty the way rich people are," he said.
Pastor Coletta Jones, who ministers to a largely low-income tithing congregation in southeast Washington thinks that poor people give more because they ask for less for themselves.
"When you have just a little, you're thankful for what you have," Jones said, "but with every step you take up the ladder of success, the money clouds your mind and gets you into a state of never being satisfied."
What Jesus had to say about it…
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." Luke 21:1-4
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Tips from Lynn...
Peppers...
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Frying Ground Beef...
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
Scrambled Eggs or Omelets...
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
Love and prayers,
Lynn
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Frying Ground Beef...
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
Scrambled Eggs or Omelets...
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
Love and prayers,
Lynn
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