Wednesday, January 7, 2015
A Plan Better than Dave Ramsey's for Debt-free Living
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| photo credit: empressofdirt.net |
Is your 2015 resolution to get out of debt? If so, Dave
Ramsey promises to make you debt-free. Dave says in his blog "You can get
out of debt no matter how much you owe!" He tells you how people act that
are debt-free in his article "7 Characteristics of Debt-Free People." Debt-free
folks are wise, patient, confident, goal-driven, responsible, not materialistic
and willing to make sacrifices. The question in my mind is "Are we ever
really debt-free?"
I've never had a month where I didn't have to write a check for a bill or schedule a payment on the world wide web. Think about it. If you're alive and want to stay warm or cool, you'll always have a utility bill. If you want to stay connected and be mobile, you'll always have a cell bill. Unless you use an antennae, you've got a cable bill. Then there's insurance if you want to drive or be healthy and oh, let's not forget taxes! You will even incur debt as you draw your last breath and someone else will take care of your bills after you're gone. Can we ever be truly debt-free?
John 8:36 says "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Our souls are the only thing about us that can truly be debt-free because Jesus paid it all. As the old song goes, "All to him I owe". Except, I don't owe him. His grace and mercy are free. You don't owe him either. You don't have to be wise, patient, confident, goal-driven, responsible, not materialistic or willing to make sacrifices to become free indeed. You do have to believe in Jesus unto salvation with your whole heart and love your neighbor.
You may already be monetarily debt-free as much as is possible but your soul may be burdened with a debt you can't pay. Have people seeking to be debt-free heard Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom? I'm glad some people are still willing to make sacrifices but that went out of style about 2000 years ago. Make your 2015 resolution to get out of debt, not materialistically but...spiritually. Become a living sacrifice. Jesus can give you new meaning to Debt-Free Living!
I've never had a month where I didn't have to write a check for a bill or schedule a payment on the world wide web. Think about it. If you're alive and want to stay warm or cool, you'll always have a utility bill. If you want to stay connected and be mobile, you'll always have a cell bill. Unless you use an antennae, you've got a cable bill. Then there's insurance if you want to drive or be healthy and oh, let's not forget taxes! You will even incur debt as you draw your last breath and someone else will take care of your bills after you're gone. Can we ever be truly debt-free?
John 8:36 says "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Our souls are the only thing about us that can truly be debt-free because Jesus paid it all. As the old song goes, "All to him I owe". Except, I don't owe him. His grace and mercy are free. You don't owe him either. You don't have to be wise, patient, confident, goal-driven, responsible, not materialistic or willing to make sacrifices to become free indeed. You do have to believe in Jesus unto salvation with your whole heart and love your neighbor.
You may already be monetarily debt-free as much as is possible but your soul may be burdened with a debt you can't pay. Have people seeking to be debt-free heard Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom? I'm glad some people are still willing to make sacrifices but that went out of style about 2000 years ago. Make your 2015 resolution to get out of debt, not materialistically but...spiritually. Become a living sacrifice. Jesus can give you new meaning to Debt-Free Living!
Happy to be free,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Thursday, January 1, 2015
5 Predictions for 2015
Happy New Year! I pray it's a great year for everyone.
Here's my 5 Predictions for 2015:
- ASK
AND YE SHALL RECEIVE. I feel like sometimes we turn this into "Give
and ye shall receive." We miss a lot of things God wants us to
have because we've convinced ourselves we don't have anything to give
in order to receive. The good news is Matthew 21:22 says "And
all things , whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive." Quit worrying about giving and simply ask!
- REGRET
IS WORSE A YEAR OLDER. Haven't you always heard "Don't put off
tomorrow what you can do today?" This is so true
concerning doing things we know in our hearts we should. Repent
where you need to, forgive where you need to, love where you
need to. The longer the sorrow goes, the bigger it grows. Proverbs 15:13
tells us "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow
of the heart the spirit is broken."
- EFFORT
WILL BE REWARDED. Remember the tortoise and the hare? Slow and steady won
the race. Staying in the race is the moral to the story. This may be your
year! You aren't napping, are you? Because it is true, you can't get
something for nothing. Proverbs 28:20 says "A faithful man shall
abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be
innocent." That old rabbit is guilty as charged.
- TALKING
TO STRANGERS BECOMES THE NEW CRAZE. If people ever realize they may be talking
to a supernatural creature when they speak to a stranger, talking to
strangers will become the latest, greatest crazy thing to do. Can you imagine a
world of friendly people with everyone talking to everyone? Sounds
like heaven doesn't it? Hebrews 13:2 says "Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels
unaware." You can talk to an angel today!
- I'LL
WRITE IF YOU'LL READ. Thank you for your faithful readership in 2014. I
promise to seek God's guidance to continue to bring you a "word"
each week. Please feel free to share these weekly emails with family,
friends, co-workers, etc. or ask me to add them to my list. I love to
share the splendor of our Heavenly Father!
Happy 2015,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The Unexpected Christmas Card
Every blog should have a catchy Christmas post. I intended to title mine "10 No-No's of Sending Christmas Cards". It would have started something like this:
1. No-no #1. Don't address your card to "The Family Name". For example, we received a card addressed to THE STAFFORD FAMILY. Before we even opened it to see who sent it, my husband said, as he was reading the envelope and shaking his head, "They don't even know our names!". I admit it does seem a bit impersonal to send a greeting to a household without addressing the individual persons.
2. No-no #2. Don't sign every card you send with a coined expression. Imagine this. You go to the mailbox to find a Christmas card from a friend you haven't talked to since last Christmas. YOU ARE EXCITED to hear from them until you open the card to read....Christmas Blessings, signed xxxxx. You wonder if your friendship really means anything to them or at least that's what crossed my mind.
Yes, that's how my list was starting to come together until yesterday when Steve found this in the mailbox.
An envelope from a return address and person neither one of us knew. More suspiciously, addressed using my complete formal name. I encouraged Steve to open it. He found this:
A beautiful Christmas card with Mary, Baby Jesus and scripture on it. Who could it be from? Puzzled, Steve opened the card to find this:
1. No-no #1. Don't address your card to "The Family Name". For example, we received a card addressed to THE STAFFORD FAMILY. Before we even opened it to see who sent it, my husband said, as he was reading the envelope and shaking his head, "They don't even know our names!". I admit it does seem a bit impersonal to send a greeting to a household without addressing the individual persons.
2. No-no #2. Don't sign every card you send with a coined expression. Imagine this. You go to the mailbox to find a Christmas card from a friend you haven't talked to since last Christmas. YOU ARE EXCITED to hear from them until you open the card to read....Christmas Blessings, signed xxxxx. You wonder if your friendship really means anything to them or at least that's what crossed my mind.
Yes, that's how my list was starting to come together until yesterday when Steve found this in the mailbox.
YES! A CHECK FOR FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS!
BUT WHY? FROM WHOM? AND WHAT FOR?
Inside the card held the explanation:
It said:
Dear Mrs. Stafford and Family,
I have given much thought to the auto accident that occurred on April 11th of this year with your daughter, Sloane. (If the accident report is correct) I think there may have been some shared responsibility for the accident. The check enclosed should hopefully cover any responsibility that may have been mine. Sincerely, _______________
WOW! It took me a minute to remember the accident because Sloane has been hit five times this year, no fault of her own. She was hit by an uninsured driver that she had to pay for, this accident which this gentleman declared was not his fault that she paid for, a minor bump that didn't get reported and was not necessary to repair, a hit and run that didn't get fixed and finally an accident where the other person's insurance paid!
This random act of kindness is refreshing to my faith! I will call this gentleman, thank him and extend our sincere appreciation for his thoughtfulness. The accident did cost us $1500 to repair Sloane's car. I'll also tell him he's forgiven. We forgave him the minute the stress of the accident subsided. Christmas Blessings to him! I'm glad he's free from his burden just in time for Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Monday, December 22, 2014
Christmastime, an original poem
Merry Christmas to all,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Friday, December 19, 2014
Easy Appetizer for The Office Potluck
So you need a quick, easy appetizer for the office potluck. I have just the things you need to make a 2-minute Dip that will make you the talk of the office! All you need is one 8 oz. pack of cream cheese, Three Onion Rub and a Garlic and Brie Baker. Where do you get the rub and the baker?
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| ORDER THE RUB HERE |
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| ORDER THE GARLIC & BRIE BAKER HERE |
Simply place the cream cheese in the Brie Baker. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp. Three Onion Rub onto the cheese. Season to your tastes using as much or as little rub as you like! Pop into the microwave covered on HIGH for two minutes. Remove, stir and serve with your favorite party crackers! Delicious!
You might also like a small bamboo spoon to stir with and the bamboo platter to serve your jaw-dropping magic dip on....Make this easy appetizer for the office potluck just minutes before serving in the office microwave. Too convenient, too easy, 2 minutes!
Star of the party,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
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