Together in Holy Macro-money? Holy Macaroni? Oh! Holy Matrimony!
Before discussing 'Holy Macro-money,' let's discuss matrimony which is defined as, 'the act or state of being married.' It comes from the Latin word for mother. Matrimony is not to be confused with acrimony – bitterness or ill natured animosity, especially in speech or manner. It comes from a Latin word meaning sharp. No 'Holy' before that one. Although, I can definitely see the connection between acrimony and matrimony which, at times, causes one to have words fly out of your mouth so sharp that they draw emotional blood. Not a pleasant thought… moving right along…
Patrimony, however, means 'an inheritance from a father or other ancestor' as well as 'legacy' and 'heritage.' It comes from the Latin word for father. If we said, "together in Holy Patrimony," then married folks would be together in a Holy inheritance from a father or a relative. I like the sound of that. As believers in Christ, I think we are indeed married in a type of Holy Patrimony — with a Holy inheritance from God, our Father. We are children of the Great King. With this position we inherit all the blessings and privileges of the Heavenly Kingdom. These privileges come with the responsibility of stewardship with all the talents and resources we have been given, including our financial income.
Now, regarding 'Holy Marco-money,' sometimes our resources in marriage may seem temporarily micro-sized but if we follow wise principles about handling them, they will end up serving us and others as though they have been macro-sized. Therefore turning your micro-money into Holy Macro-money!
Below is Part One of an article entitled, "Learn the Smart Habits of Money-Savvy People," by Robin Glenn. She gives us simple strategies for managing our finances.
1. STAY ORGANIZED Set up a system to pay bills regularly. Being disorganized costs time and money. Stay on top of things by creating a work space at a desk or table where you can manage your finances regularly. Keep an in-box nearby for bills to be paid, and dedicate a filing drawer to all your financial documents. Then designate a regular time to review your finances and pay bills—weekly, biweekly, as you receive them, or through an automatic bill-pay service (free at many banks) so you never risk a late fee again. Whether you use a notebook or a computer program, stick with whatever system you choose. Personal finance software can do everything from balancing your checkbook to managing bill payments online. Try Microsoft Money ($25-$80) or Quicken ($30-$70).
2. SPEND LESS THAN YOU EARN Keep your spending in check by creating and following a budget. A budget is a necessary tool to show how much you're bringing in versus how much you're spending, and to help you figure out where you need to cut back. For a step-by-step guide to tracking your spending and creating a budget, as well as a helpful worksheet, go to http://financialplan.about.com and choose "How to create a budget."
3. UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DESIRE AND NEED Cut back on unnecessary costs. If you make an honest effort to look at your spending habits and cut out the fat, you'll immediately reduce the stress in your life [and marriage] that comes with overspending and extra debt. Do you really need 120 cable channels or those chic new earrings? Try this: Don't go to sales unless you're looking for something. A bargain isn't a bargain if you don't need it.
4. INVEST IN THE FUTURE Stash cash in a retirement account every month. Your Social Security benefits likely won't cover all your expenses after you retire, so get ready to make up the difference. Many retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and IRAs, allow your money to grow tax-free until you use the money in retirement. Contribute as much as you can up to the maximum allowed—$5,000 in 2008 for an IRA or Roth IRA, $15,500 for a 401(k). If your employer offers to match your investment, take advantage of this free money!
I hope these four habits will get you started in creating a money-savvy marriage. Look for Part II with four more smart money habits.
"Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more." His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:20b-21 NIV
Your Soul Sister
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
A MOM'S LEGACY THROUGH SARAH: "GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY"
In honor of Mother's Day, I would like to share with you the legacy of a rejoicing mom and wife in the Bible -- Sarah. My source is Mom's Devotional Bible NIV which I recommend for all moms. The top portion of this devotional was written by Jeanne Hendricks, author of A Mother's Legacy.
Passage: Genesis 21:1-7
Sarah conveys to me an exceptionally powerful message. She tells me that God
takes pleasure in, and responds to, two crucial love affairs. The first is
with himself. Apart from believing (and I cannot believe without loving him),
there is nothing of lasting value I could hope to give to my children. Sarah
teaches me that there is only one way to pave the future path for my children
with blessing: I must believe exactly what God has said.
The second love affair is with the man God gave me. His human nature
challenges my own pride. Yet as I submit to God, so must I submit to, respect
and love my husband. The two relationships go together; they must blend in my
life if my children are to learn from me how to build a life with eternal value.
Sarah stands as living proof that God is totally trustworthy. She reminds me
that though others may fail me, God will not.
Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." [She named her son Isaac, with means 'he laughs.'] And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? yet I have borne him a son in his old age." Genesis 21:6-7
Toward the very end of Joshua's life, he summons all the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel and emboldens them with a passionate farewell address. His closing comments include these words, Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. Joshual 23:14 NIV.
In the following chapter, Joshua gives another rousing speech in which he honors their ancestors (including Isaac) and reminds them of the amazing faithfulness of their God towards them. Then he challenges them to renew their covenant with a jealous God and begin again their love affair with him. Joshua gives them a choice we must all make. Do you see God as worthy of your trust?
Regarding the second love affair that Jeanne Hendricks speaks of in her devotional, we can turn to Proverbs 31:11-12 to see how a husband feels about a wife of noble character: Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. As a wife, I am challenged to be worthy of my husband's trust; for him to have full confidence that I will do everything I can to bring him good, not harm--all the days of my life.
May you renew your love affair with your spouse and your God.
Your Soul Sister
Passage: Genesis 21:1-7
Sarah conveys to me an exceptionally powerful message. She tells me that God
takes pleasure in, and responds to, two crucial love affairs. The first is
with himself. Apart from believing (and I cannot believe without loving him),
there is nothing of lasting value I could hope to give to my children. Sarah
teaches me that there is only one way to pave the future path for my children
with blessing: I must believe exactly what God has said.
The second love affair is with the man God gave me. His human nature
challenges my own pride. Yet as I submit to God, so must I submit to, respect
and love my husband. The two relationships go together; they must blend in my
life if my children are to learn from me how to build a life with eternal value.
Sarah stands as living proof that God is totally trustworthy. She reminds me
that though others may fail me, God will not.
Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." [She named her son Isaac, with means 'he laughs.'] And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? yet I have borne him a son in his old age." Genesis 21:6-7
Toward the very end of Joshua's life, he summons all the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel and emboldens them with a passionate farewell address. His closing comments include these words, Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. Joshual 23:14 NIV.
In the following chapter, Joshua gives another rousing speech in which he honors their ancestors (including Isaac) and reminds them of the amazing faithfulness of their God towards them. Then he challenges them to renew their covenant with a jealous God and begin again their love affair with him. Joshua gives them a choice we must all make. Do you see God as worthy of your trust?
Regarding the second love affair that Jeanne Hendricks speaks of in her devotional, we can turn to Proverbs 31:11-12 to see how a husband feels about a wife of noble character: Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. As a wife, I am challenged to be worthy of my husband's trust; for him to have full confidence that I will do everything I can to bring him good, not harm--all the days of my life.
May you renew your love affair with your spouse and your God.
Your Soul Sister
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Nightmare at the Govenor's Palace: Message for Spouse?
Have you ever desperately wanted to get an urgent message to your spouse, pronto? Do you recall a time when your spouse was about to make a huge decision and you happen to learn of some news at the last minute that would dramatically effect their decision? Have you ever been warned in a dream? In the gospels we find a wife, who just awoke from a haunting nightmare. She's dreadfully concerned about her husband who is in the middle of making a powerful, life-changing decision, not only for himself, but someone else.
In describing the last hours before Jesus' crucifixion, one of the gospel writers takes the time to record a scene in which a desperate wife is in an awful hurry to communicate with her prominent husband. Among the four gospels, only in Matthew will you find a short but significant verse about a governor's wife sending an urgent message to her husband, who happened to be the Roman Governor of Judea. He was sitting in the judge's seat early Friday morning during Jesus' trial proceedings. What was her urgent message?
While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him a message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:19
A short while later, verse 24 records:
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said, "It is your responsibility!" Although he washed his hands of the matter, verse 26 says: But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Pilate only partially heeded his wife's warning.
Pilate had several opportunities to make the right decision, all reinforced by a plea from his wife who sent an urgent message saying, "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man." He chose to heed her message, but not completely. In addition, he didn't listen to his own conscience, which was telling him that Jesus was innocent. To top it all off, Roman law said an innocent man should not be put to death. So why did Pilate hand Jesus over to be crucified when he had no good excuse to condemn him? He was afraid of the crowd. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep the peace, even if it meant that a completely innocent man would die a terrible death.
A note regarding verse 24 in Tyndale's Life Application Study Bible reads: In making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained. Washing your hands of a tough situation doesn't cancel your guilt. It merely gives you a false sense of peace. Don't make excuses - take responsibility for the decisions you make.
What did Pilate's wife dream about Jesus? What troubling images did she see in her dream during the wee hours of Friday morning that convinced her that it was imperative that she send a messenger to interrupt her husband while he sat in the judge's seat in the middle of a trial?
In her book, At Jerusalem's Gate: Poems of Easter, Nikki Grimes contemplates the quandary with this comment and the following poem: I love a good mystery and the Easter story is full of them. The night before Jesus stood in the Pilate's court, Pilate's wife spent hours tossing and turning from a nightmare. She woke with an overwhelming sense of dread and a certainty that the man on trial was innocent. Unable to shake the feeling, she sent a warning to Pilate during the proceedings. What exactly did she dream? I wish I knew.
Pilate's Wife
The dream that robbed my rest
still echoes in my ear
dispatching waves of fear
along my tingling spine.
The dream is drenched in blood,
the details of it gone
like mist by morning's end.
The memory lays me low.
I call my servant, "Quick!
Go to my husband's side.
Confide these words:
'Dismiss the one who waits
before your judgment seat.
Spill nothing of his blood
for he is innocent.'"
On this the dream was clear:
there's evil working here.
As you contemplate the messages you send to your spouse and receive from your spouse in the coming days ahead, whether urgent or subtle, keep in mind that the good Lord may be trying to get a message through to benefit both of you. Will you be listening? Will you heed the message entirely, or just partially? What might be holding you back from making the right decision?
Back at the Governor's Palace...On Sunday morning after Jesus' resurrection and in the days following, I'm wondering if the governor wished that he had completely heeded his wife's urgent message sent to him early Friday morning after she awoke from a dreadful nightmare at the palace.
Your Soul Sister
In describing the last hours before Jesus' crucifixion, one of the gospel writers takes the time to record a scene in which a desperate wife is in an awful hurry to communicate with her prominent husband. Among the four gospels, only in Matthew will you find a short but significant verse about a governor's wife sending an urgent message to her husband, who happened to be the Roman Governor of Judea. He was sitting in the judge's seat early Friday morning during Jesus' trial proceedings. What was her urgent message?
While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him a message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:19
A short while later, verse 24 records:
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said, "It is your responsibility!" Although he washed his hands of the matter, verse 26 says: But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Pilate only partially heeded his wife's warning.
Pilate had several opportunities to make the right decision, all reinforced by a plea from his wife who sent an urgent message saying, "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man." He chose to heed her message, but not completely. In addition, he didn't listen to his own conscience, which was telling him that Jesus was innocent. To top it all off, Roman law said an innocent man should not be put to death. So why did Pilate hand Jesus over to be crucified when he had no good excuse to condemn him? He was afraid of the crowd. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep the peace, even if it meant that a completely innocent man would die a terrible death.
A note regarding verse 24 in Tyndale's Life Application Study Bible reads: In making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained. Washing your hands of a tough situation doesn't cancel your guilt. It merely gives you a false sense of peace. Don't make excuses - take responsibility for the decisions you make.
What did Pilate's wife dream about Jesus? What troubling images did she see in her dream during the wee hours of Friday morning that convinced her that it was imperative that she send a messenger to interrupt her husband while he sat in the judge's seat in the middle of a trial?
In her book, At Jerusalem's Gate: Poems of Easter, Nikki Grimes contemplates the quandary with this comment and the following poem: I love a good mystery and the Easter story is full of them. The night before Jesus stood in the Pilate's court, Pilate's wife spent hours tossing and turning from a nightmare. She woke with an overwhelming sense of dread and a certainty that the man on trial was innocent. Unable to shake the feeling, she sent a warning to Pilate during the proceedings. What exactly did she dream? I wish I knew.
Pilate's Wife
The dream that robbed my rest
still echoes in my ear
dispatching waves of fear
along my tingling spine.
The dream is drenched in blood,
the details of it gone
like mist by morning's end.
The memory lays me low.
I call my servant, "Quick!
Go to my husband's side.
Confide these words:
'Dismiss the one who waits
before your judgment seat.
Spill nothing of his blood
for he is innocent.'"
On this the dream was clear:
there's evil working here.
As you contemplate the messages you send to your spouse and receive from your spouse in the coming days ahead, whether urgent or subtle, keep in mind that the good Lord may be trying to get a message through to benefit both of you. Will you be listening? Will you heed the message entirely, or just partially? What might be holding you back from making the right decision?
Back at the Governor's Palace...On Sunday morning after Jesus' resurrection and in the days following, I'm wondering if the governor wished that he had completely heeded his wife's urgent message sent to him early Friday morning after she awoke from a dreadful nightmare at the palace.
Your Soul Sister
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Pirates, Kidnapping, Slavery and… Marriage?
What do pirates, kidnapping and slavery have to do with your marriage? Hopefully, directly, not a lot. However, in the month of March many of us remember St. Patrick’s Day – even if we simply add a bit o’ green to our wardrobe on the 17th.
Patrick’s father was a wealthy deacon of the Christian church in Britain. As a youngster, Patrick most likely enjoyed a relatively comfortable A.D. 400s British lifestyle. Everything drastically changed when, at the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates during a raid and sold as a slave in Ireland.
While serving as a shepherd during his captivity, Patrick’s faith in God soared to great heights, and he dedicated himself to prayer. After six years of slavery, he escaped and returned to Britain. Because of the deep spiritual growth he experienced while in Ireland, Patrick became consumed with the idea of converting the Irish people to Christianity. After much study and more prayer, Patrick eventually returned to Ireland. He converted and baptized thousands of Irish people and established hundreds of churches.
Not bad for starting out as a teenager with a well-to-do deacon Dad, then suddenly being ripped from his comfortable home by pirates, taken to another country and forced to become a shepherd slave until he escaped six years later. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)
So, your marriage started out good. You’ve hit a few bumps along the way. Okay, actually, you have been traversing some major mountains for quite some time now and it’s getting ugly. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
Sometimes, you may feel like you you’ve been kidnapped, banished to a foreign land called, “Marriage,” and are now serving as a type of slave to an institution also called, “Marriage.” Perhaps you are married to a “pirate” who has drastically changed your life or you feel like your life is going nowhere as you sit for hours at your job, perhaps bored, as a type of “shepherd slave.” “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
Yes, marriage, and life in general, can get ugly, but take heart my dear Saint. You have options. Patrick’s life took a drastic turn for what seemed like the worse. However, he allowed the trials and struggles he was going through to transform him into a better person. He spent many hours in prayer and meditation becoming closer and closer to God. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Like Joseph in the Old Testament, Patrick ends up helping and showering love on the very people who harmed him earlier in life. Patrick and Joseph held no resentment for their mistreatment and were even thankful that God allowed their struggles in order to put them in a position to do great deeds and save many people. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (II Corinthians 4:16-17)
I challenge you to meditate on the scriptures above and allow the God of forgiveness, hope and redemption to cause you to return to your commitment to “love and cherish ‘til death do you part.”
This Spring, I do not wish you Irish luck or a charming leprechaun to lead you to a pot o’ gold at the end of the fairies’ rainbow, even though most of us wouldn’t mind a little more stash o’ cash in our wallets. My hope is that you are inspired to see beyond the adversity to a greater redemption than you can possibly imagine in the midst of your current struggle. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (I Peter 5:10)
Your Soul Sister
Patrick’s father was a wealthy deacon of the Christian church in Britain. As a youngster, Patrick most likely enjoyed a relatively comfortable A.D. 400s British lifestyle. Everything drastically changed when, at the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates during a raid and sold as a slave in Ireland.
While serving as a shepherd during his captivity, Patrick’s faith in God soared to great heights, and he dedicated himself to prayer. After six years of slavery, he escaped and returned to Britain. Because of the deep spiritual growth he experienced while in Ireland, Patrick became consumed with the idea of converting the Irish people to Christianity. After much study and more prayer, Patrick eventually returned to Ireland. He converted and baptized thousands of Irish people and established hundreds of churches.
Not bad for starting out as a teenager with a well-to-do deacon Dad, then suddenly being ripped from his comfortable home by pirates, taken to another country and forced to become a shepherd slave until he escaped six years later. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)
So, your marriage started out good. You’ve hit a few bumps along the way. Okay, actually, you have been traversing some major mountains for quite some time now and it’s getting ugly. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
Sometimes, you may feel like you you’ve been kidnapped, banished to a foreign land called, “Marriage,” and are now serving as a type of slave to an institution also called, “Marriage.” Perhaps you are married to a “pirate” who has drastically changed your life or you feel like your life is going nowhere as you sit for hours at your job, perhaps bored, as a type of “shepherd slave.” “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
Yes, marriage, and life in general, can get ugly, but take heart my dear Saint. You have options. Patrick’s life took a drastic turn for what seemed like the worse. However, he allowed the trials and struggles he was going through to transform him into a better person. He spent many hours in prayer and meditation becoming closer and closer to God. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Like Joseph in the Old Testament, Patrick ends up helping and showering love on the very people who harmed him earlier in life. Patrick and Joseph held no resentment for their mistreatment and were even thankful that God allowed their struggles in order to put them in a position to do great deeds and save many people. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (II Corinthians 4:16-17)
I challenge you to meditate on the scriptures above and allow the God of forgiveness, hope and redemption to cause you to return to your commitment to “love and cherish ‘til death do you part.”
This Spring, I do not wish you Irish luck or a charming leprechaun to lead you to a pot o’ gold at the end of the fairies’ rainbow, even though most of us wouldn’t mind a little more stash o’ cash in our wallets. My hope is that you are inspired to see beyond the adversity to a greater redemption than you can possibly imagine in the midst of your current struggle. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (I Peter 5:10)
Your Soul Sister
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