279 days since our first date! WOW that is exciting! I got to spend my first birthday with my husband in May and tomorrow will be Paul's first birthday with his wife. We're aware most people celebrate at least one birthday together before getting married but... :-D
We planned a wedding and honeymoon on a budget, we live every day on a budget, we make social plans by consulting our budget. Not because either of us secretly wish we had been a finance major but because our current financial situation requires this diligence from us. The Lord has placed many big goals and dreams on our hearts and we know being good stewards of money and getting out of debt is one of those goals that will help us get to those dreams.
On day 323 we are moving into OUR first apartment (the apartment we live in now was mine before we got married--so this new one will be the first that is new to both of us). In looking for more space, a closer commute, good location and a good deal...a lot of conversations happened. These can be either good or bad depending on how much we allow Jesus to help us ;-)
So off we go apartment hunting....more space for a good deal- that was the mission. Paul takes care of our finances (and does a bang up job, I might add) and pays the bills and keeps me informed of where we are throughout the month. In looking at apartments, nothing was available in our exact price range so I leaned over and asked "can we swing this place for that price?" Paul's always optimistic answer was "We'll figure it out. The Lord will provide." Ok, don't get me wrong, I agree with the man. But if I waltzed over and decided to rent the luxury apartments up the road with a rent no normal person should pay, the Lord might just say "you made your bed, now you're gonna lie in it." He does provide, but he also wants us to be good stewards (a concept my husband fully grasps and agrees with, but for whatever reason I decided that his comment meant we were on opposite sides of the argument). As the conversation progressed, I started feeling more and more anxious and overwhelmed by the financial side of things (i.e. why Paul is in charge of our finances daily, not me). Deposits, application fees, movers....ahhhhhhh!
We found a GREAT place with a TON of space and signed the papers that day! Yippee! Yikes! As we sat waiting on the very busy leasing agent to complete everything and reserve our new place, Paul says "I can pick up more hours doing massage. I'm only working there one night a week."
Rachel: "I was already thinking that it might make things easier if I got a part-time job now for the weekends and that way when my job ends in December, I would at least have that and could maybe move to full time if nothing else panned out."
Paul: "You already work 10 hours a day with kids. It's easier for me to do more hours."
Rachel: "Not if it means I don't get to see you. Ever."
Paul: "It's just for a season. I don't want you getting a part-time job because you already work so much"
Note that this whole conversation occurred in hushed tones in the middle of the leasing office. Not sure who ended this back and forth but one of us finally said "We'll figure it out." (My guess is Paul ended it because I tend to keep going like the energizer bunny...especially when no real conclusion is reached. He has sooooooooooo much patience with me.)
Once back home, we decided that the conclusion was to PRAY about it and see what the Lord wanted us to do.
This morning I picked up my bible and continued reading in Proverbs. Turns out, the Lord has a lot to say on this subject:
"The house of the righteous contains great treasure,
but the income of the wicked brings them trouble." Proverbs 15:6
"Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil." Proverbs 15:16
"Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
than a fattened calf with hatred." Proverbs 15:17
"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife." Proverbs 17:1
These verses make it very clear--when faced with choosing financial wealth over familial happiness--choose FAMILY! I am not trying to say that making or having money is wrong. What I am saying is that this Lord answered our questions (should either of us increase hours or get an additional job to help our finances) by saying "NO! Make what you have work for you. Do NOT sacrifice your marriage or your relationship simply to make things easier financially." I was then given these verses:
"There is a way that seems right to man
but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25
Both these verses say the same thing....we know what it means when God repeats himself--PAY ATTENTION!! The world has "opportunities" everywhere to get rich quick. While these ways seem right at first, they almost always fail shortly thereafter.
Despite what our checking account says at any given time, we know how rich we are because of the cross!! "The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly." Proverbs 14:24
If the question is $$ vs marriage, my Jesus told me...marriage!!
