Time management.

If you're a reader than inevitably you hear people say regularly, 'Oh, I wish I could read but I just never have the time'.  The truth is that there are 24 hours in all of our days, how we use them is up to us.  If you find yourself saying that you wish you had the time for an activity, hobby, sport, or educational experience - well, then perhaps you should reevaluate how you could.  

An equally popular comment is that 'people have time for what the value'.  Isn't this true?  You may think you're too busy to read or workout but somehow you manage to eat 5 times a day.  Hmm.  You don't have time to cook or clean but amazingly you spend an hour and a half per day doing your hair and makeup.  None of these things are bad.  I just feel it's important to call a spade a spade.  What I don't do, is a result of a lack of priority in my life.

Many of us have commitment issues.  We'd love to take a class, join a group, maybe volunteer?  But EVERY week seems so daunting and permanent; we shrink back in fear.  Giving in the to the 'what if' game we convince ourselves that we can't possibly commit to one more thing!  Is this starting to hit home for you?  This is the land I've lived in friends...do not feel alone.

I recently stepped down from a commitment that interfered with my new work schedule.  With traveling for work now, Friday nights weren't feasible for me.  Work does trump other commitments to an extend in that at this point in my life I both need to work and love to work.  I'm fortunate to be in a place that I'm excited to be a part of.  However, that doesn't take away from the fact that I was disappointed at having to let go of another commitment.

Almost within the same stride I took on a new undertaking.  For those of you who kept up with my entries last week, you know that I started the Dave Ramsey course at my church.  Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University includes a several month long commitment, in my case on Thursday nights.  This gave me Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening commitments on top of work 5 days a week, traveling a weekend or 2 per month, and church Sundays.  That felt a little overwhelming in my head as I tried to work through whether or not to take the course.

Being financially responsible and more importantly free needed to be a priority in my life.  At 24 years old I'm in a place that many people twice my age would do nearly anything to be in - debt free.  Not being naive enough to believe that I can remain so without a plan, I knew that I needed to make time in my crazy life and schedule to learn.  Learn about saving, budgeting, investing, etc.  So, I signed on and commitment both to myself and my classmates to be there every week I possibly can.

When you make a commitment it's important to stick with it!  Too often we realize something is 'a good idea' but we can't quite be committed to following through.  Am I right?  To gain from the experience we have to really BE there.  In mind, body, and spirit.  Otherwise, we might as well stay home and watch TV.

There's not any one perfect schedule you can map out for your life that will keep you perfectly balanced.  However, it is important to evaluate your commitments from time-to-time to see if your getting the results you want in life.  This includes me.  Some of my commitments to date are book club, small group, financial peace university, work, church, book reviewing, and an accountability partner.  Now, one area I'm still struggling with is working out.  I value the health (and mental stability) benefits of getting my walk/jog in at least in theory...BUT I tend to make time excuses where this is concerned.  I already get up at 6am...5am just seems daunting.  I don't get home til 9pm some nights and by then I'm tired (and a little scared to wander off alone).  So, knowing like I do that we all have the same amount of hours in a day...how am I going to squeeze it in or what needs to give?  That is the question.

You make time for what you want to do.  So perhaps the questions you need to ask yourself are: does what I want right now lead to the future I want later?  What do I say I want to do but don't make time for?  What needs to give in my schedule?  What do I need to move up on the priority list? And if you anything like me...where do I start?

Baby steps. : ]

Love,

B

GP #5

Week five of talking about guilty pleasures.  Featured this week?  A new addition to my GP list as of the last few weeks...Starbucks 100 calorie fraps.  You know the fraps that come in those glass bottles you get at the grocery store?  They come in 100 calorie versions now that are just as good (shockingly).  I had one of these every day of my new commute the last two weeks at 730am and it was a little slice of heaven.  The new mocha lites were on sale at Publix and Super Target last week so I got myself a stash.

I highly recommend.

Love,

B

(my) Best Buys of September 09.

I always hate to say goodbye to September it's one of my favorite months.  But with November and December just around the corner (Tgiving and Xmas!) I supposed it's ok to move on.  I found same great steals this month and I wanted to share them as a sort of goodbye to this month.  So here is the best of my September purchases...

This sweater from New York & Co.  I bought it when Sarah was in town for my bday and it's featured in the Deals & Steals section of the October In Style. : ] I was ahead of the game on this one.  I love this mustard color for fall.

Sorry for the homemade pics. : ] But I couldn't find these online.  This dress also from NY&Co got my oodles of compliments both at work and out on the town last week. : ]  One of my new coworkers even wanted it so bad I gave her my other coupon so she could get herself one.  Sarah decided after seeing it on when we hit Soho that she wanted it as well.  I promise it's better on than it looks flung on my bed. 

THIS little darling was my most excited find of September 09 - an Italian leather Abro bag!  These are hard to find and especially for a good deal.  But I snagged this on Clearance and I'm in love.  The pictures makes it look brighter than it appears in person (great new camera - can't help it) but it's really a Magenta-ish leather.  I've been wanting one this color since I found out this color was going to be big this fall and finally found one I could justify spending the $ for. Yay.

These I found at the DSW clearance this weekend. They were on the sidewalk sale rack and I love them. Thank you Nine West & DSW. I have a few great outfit ideas for these babies.

My new Sony Cybershot 12.1 pixels takes beautiful pictures. I sprung for the Carl Zeiss lense as well.  Love love love this. I also have a hilarious camera story for you all soon. Look forward to that soon.

My iTunes buys of this month that are now staples on my fall playlist? These include: Birthday by Flo Rida (the edited version, of course), Never Say Never by the Fray, I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas, and Paparazzi by Lady Gaga.

Enjoy.

Love,

B

Quote of the week.

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will
certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of
keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an
animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid
all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your
selfishness. But in the casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it
will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable,
impenetrable, irredeembable."

CS Lewis

This quote was borrowed by 'What God has Joined Together's' Blog.

Seaside Letters Book Review.

We join Tucker and Sabrina one year into an intense relationship via e-mail.  Each knows who the other is in real life but both believe they're still anonymous.  Tucker is the definition of a 'dream boy' and is confident that Sabrina is the love of his life. Sabrina's past haunts her and a long history of hurt keeps her from being able to open up but how long before her love for Tucker and his persistence will penetrate her hard exterior?

Denise Hunter weaves an intricate web of emotion's in Seaside Letters.  The story of Sabrina and Tucker will tug at your heart strings regardless of your experiences with love.  This story hits home for anyone who has felt unworthy, unlovable, or astonished by how far grace can extend.  I finished the book in three days. I couldn't wait to read how Hunter would bring the characters together in the end.  A great read, with a few unexpected twists.  I've already recommended it to every young lady at my office.  Hunter did Christian romance proud.  I give this love story 4 stars.

I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson Publishers.  If you're interested in receiving free books to review on your blog, visit http://brb.thomasnelson.com/join

Enter Dave.

The adventure begins - the adventure being financial peace and freedom from money related stress.  In honor of being transparent here I was able to become debt free about 3 months ago now and I feel great about owning my education and my car...but what now?  I'm newly 24, I want to buy a condo, I have a great new job; how do I keep from screwing up in my finances? 

I started the Dave Ramsey course 'Financial Peace University' tonight with 2 of my gal pals.  You know me, I like to have backup.  Sticking to a budget can be war (between me and my desires) and I wasn't about to go to battle alone.  It is important to have friends who will push you to grow and also allow you to drag them along when you know it's time you grew up.

You may have heard the sayings that money is something that shouldn't be talked about...BUT according to the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad people who talk about money get money and people who don't, stay poor.  The point of taking this class is not to be rich but to be stable, smart, and responsible.  I know, unpopular ideas for my age range.

One thing that jumped out at me today was this stat - 70% of people in America are living paycheck to paycheck.  Right now, I'm one of them. That's what I want to avoid.  One of the steps that Dave Ramsey helps you through is putting away 3-6 months worth of money incase you ever need it.  That's probably the first big step for me since I don't have debt to tackle.  Budgeting so that I can save and have an emergency fund.  I refuse to live paycheck to paycheck, I'm going to find freedom.

I'll keep you posted as I (of all people) learn to stop spending on everything that catches my fancy.  It's time to start 'acting my wage', Dave Ramsey style.  Note: prayers are accepted...this could get ugly.

Love,

B

What happens in Vegas...

I recently received an invitation to attend a missions trip to Las Vegas, Nevada in December of this year.  You may remember from this entry  my first up close encounter with Current.  When I received an e-mail detailing (or at least beginning to outline) their Vegas mission I was intrigued.  Despite long years of church attendance I have yet to serve on a missions trip.  I'll leave explanations and/or excuses to your vivid imaginations and say simply, my time has not yet come.

Now Current isn't just an organization for  Christians so why are they doing a mission trip?  Isn't that a churchy thing?  I imagine the answer to this lies in the mission of Current itself to Grow, to Give, and to Go.  And go they will - to Vegas to partner with 'Strip Church', located on 'the strip' in Vegas and servicing what I can only imagine is the very definition of a lost and hurting world.  It earned the title Sin City, did it not?

You may recall that what I fell in love with during the laundry love experience was needs being met.  In the crisis that our country is now experience it is more clear than perhaps ever before that their are needs in our country.  We think of Africa or Asia as being the places where people starve or in desperate need of our assistance and that is correct, many countries have needs greater than ours.  That being said, there's plenty of need here in our country as well.

The Vegas trip will be people like you and I meeting real needs of the people on the strip.  Feeding the hungry.  Building shelter for families and orphans.  Helping provide dental and doctor services to those in need.  Giving personal hygiene products to those currently going without.  Nearest and dearest to my own heart, they will also be providing resources and 'spiritual aid' to those who have a desire for it.

For a slew of reasons that I don't go into I won't be able to lend my own person to this adventure BUT I am trying to work with Current to girl them assistance in any way possible as they prepare for this journey.  

The bigger picture here is that whether or not you have time to go commit time to de-worming orphans in Somalia or nursing Aids victims in Africa - there are great organizations paving the way for you to do something here.  When I see people on the side of the road begging for work it pains me to imagine my own father ever having to experience that.  When I think of what it would be like to watch one of my sisters have to go without food or medical care they needed - I ache for those in this country that experience this reality.  Most of all my heart hurts for those who lives are lacking in love.

'The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved, ' - Mother Theresa

It boils down to this: making a difference in lives of people requires that you meet the very real needs in their lives and that your motivation can be reduced simply to love.  

Love,

B

I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. - Matthew 25:40