I am totally one of those people who could cover mirrors, walls and refrigerators in a myriad of compelling quotes.
Thank God we try to live minimally...because in high school my mirror served the above function quite well.
Instead of cluttering our home, I try to leave these inspiring quotes on my computer desktop, so that when I need a kick in the pants (especially to get off of the computer) they are there for that purpose.
But today the quote is about finances...which as organized and well-intentioned as we are tends to get a bit hairy sometimes (especially at the end of pregnancy and welcoming a new baby). Despite this, we are currently pressing on and being as obedient as we can!
We haven't pulled out the weapons of mass financial destruction (credit cards), we just aren't putting quite as much towards debt as we would like.
Often I will review these crazy months with a bit of frustration... and feel like we will never meet our goal to be debt free by November 2013!
And then comes this quote.
"I think the most difficult part of real frugality might even be the initial realization that for most people there is no shortcut to achieving a debt-free life. Unless your income is unusually high, your expenses are unusually low, and you have just been throwing your money away… it is a given that it will take time to pay off debts, build up savings, and prioritize your values. It won’t happen overnight, but if you stay on track, financial security WILL follow."
http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/dont-confuse-playing-at-frugality-with-living-frugally/
This quote is just so wonderful. It totally reminds me of the story of the old man throwing starfish back into the sea. Someone comments that he will never make a difference and as he grabs the next starfish and flings it back to sea he remarks, "I just did." Powerful, in the same sort of way.
Trudging through debt can be cumbersome, but the journey is well worth it! Once we are debt-free we will have 16% of our income to put towards saving for a variety of goals that seem to be floating in the clouds of the future.
I know Christ desires this for us. He knows better than me the tons of virtue that can be gained through the discipline it takes to become and remain debt-free.
Lord, be our guide! May the immense sacrifice You made inspire us to make the necessary sacrifices to live within (and hopefully below) our means.
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