a few thoughts-some long some short

First, I was thinking about my friend Richelle. She seems to me to be on the wrong track right now. I have criticized her and wondered why she is doing what she is doing. It is not just me that is worried about her. All of our scrapbook friends are worried about her too. I bet her family is worried about her too. I figured out yesterday that I can't change her behavior but there is one thing I can do for her. I can pray for her. That is what I am gong to do!

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We have had financial difficulties for sometime now. I made the goal to get out of debt with no idea of how that would be possible. This year has been really hard for us. Part of the reason it has been hard is our own fault. We had been hit and miss paying our tithing. I honestly was not seeing any blessings when we did so why pay it? Besides we needed the money to go to so many other places (so I thought). I have been praying that someone would help us get back on track but I had no one in mind. Then, Bobby's work wrote us a letter telling us that we could take out some of his profit sharing money IF we had two sessions with a financial coach. I was not excited at the time because even though I was praying for help with our finances I didn't want to be told what I was doing wrong. This finacial counseling has saved us. She is a really good person and she tells it to us like it is, not like what we want to hear. She sat down with us and went step by step through our bills and budget and helped us make a plan to help us. We had our two sessions with her and I can't believe how much has changed for us in such a short time. First of all, I decided that I was going to pay tithing from now on no matter what.  I repaid all the back tithing and we are completely paid in full. That is a good feeling. Now I feel I can go to the temple again. and stop missing out on those blessings. Second, I got all of our utilities caught up. This sounds silly but no one ever told me to stop paying the minimum just so the power was not shut off but pay it so that doesn't happen. That too is a feeling of relief for me. Then, she told us to build an emergency fund of $1000. We just finished that this last week and boy that feels good too. Now we are starting to work on our snowball debt. We have received so many blessings from paying our tithing and getting help. I can't even put them all down here. Mostly the blessings have come as feelings of relief and freedom. I am so glad we are on the right road now!

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This is just a dumb thought but still a thought. I just found out someone in our ward is pregnant with her 5th baby. For some reason I was a little jealous. Not because I want another child but just that she is a better mom because she can handle having more kids than me. That is silly but true!