Gratitude

This week, I read a book titled The How of Happiness. It discusses practical things you can do to become happier.  I was surprised to find that I use a lot of the strategies already.  One I haven't tried is listing 3-5 things I'm grateful for weekly.  I guess it's like counting my blessings (non-financially).

This week, I was really happy.  I rate it a 9 out of 10.

1> I'm thankful that my allergy symptoms (which usually cause me severe distress this time of year) hasn't been bad at all.  Three years of allergy shots are finally kicking in.

2> I'm thankful for several people in my life who understands me deeply.

3> I'm thankful that I have the chance to study Chinese, it's reimbursed by work, and I have the best pronunciation in the class!

4> I'm thankful that the meeting with our scary VP this week went well and she was open and approachable.

5> I'm thankful to have the privilege of supporting my missionary friend

6> I'm happy that God loves me.

Counting My Blessings

SO FAR: $84.60
$54.59 saved on April bills?
$29.56 travel reimbursement
$10.69 grocery sales/coupons
$200.55 medication
$17 allergy shot
$160 MD
$122 another MD
=$594.39
10%=$59.44
+$84.60
=$144.04 (10% of God's blessings beyond my salary)
-$100 (Orphan's Tear)
=$44.04

Missions giving: $40 (saved from fasting)

Total giving this month
$100+$100+$40 +$35=$275 to philanthropy  & missions
$300 Church

OMG, no wonder I was broke this month.  I had to transfer $250 out of my savings so that I could cover some expenses.  I'm planning on putting it back next month since I get 3 paychecks.

Thinking About Mother's Day

I've been thinking about what I could give my mom for Mother's Day.  They typical gift is usually plants or flowers.  This year, I decided to do something different.  I'm going to give money in her name to a cause that will probably be special to her.  I decided to do this because honestly, she has everything that she needs and I think it'll be helpful for her to learn about this cause.  I've been praying that she opens her eyes and learns to think and see the world more Biblically.  Her thinking is very typical, conventional, materialistic and I hope this will help her see things differently.

I hope that as I learn to step out in faith and to give even when it hurts to give and give even when it doesn't make sense for me to give, it could stimulate the people around me and challenge them to think about the way they live just as I have been challenged.

I'm not quite sure how I'll make it though the next couple weeks.  I have a lot of expenses coming up--one will probably decimate my emergency fund.  But I also have a lot of giving opportunities coming up at the same time.  I still have to tithe on God's extra blessings ($85 so far), give special offering for summer missions ($100-200), give for the Mother's Day gift ($20?), and send support to my missionary friend ($40). That's over $200 right there.  I already gave $100 to charity this month. Not to mention other expenses which happened to come up this month; next month,  I'm gonna end up killing my emergency fund.  I think I'll be able to make it through because I get 3 paychecks in May, but there goes my plan to add to my savings...  

I'm learning to see these types of situations as opportunities to step out in faith.  I'm not quite sure that I have the money to cover everything, but still, I have made giving my first priority.  After all,  if I'm using God's  money according to Kingdom purposes, why wouldn't He provide for me?  He brought me through last year.  I was hoping this year would be easier that last year.  It's not.  I think God wants to continue to teach me to depend on Him by restricting my finances.  Well, here I go.

Counting My Blessings

I can't sleep.  My mind is full of all the things I have to do.  Life's a bit crazy right now.  I have way too many projects going on.  God has thrown me a major curve so my plans have gone down the toilet.  Well, they're not completely down the toilet, they just need to be put on hold for the time being until I can take care of this other stuff.  But I'm not really surprised.  God has been putting up barriers in this particular aspect of my life for the last 4 years or so.  I've made my peace with it.  In the meanwhile, since I can't sleep, I might as well cross one more item off my to-do list.

SO FAR: $29.33
$475 Federal tax refund
$10 meal
$2.80 groceries
$64.93 saved on March bills
=$552.73 (amount with which God blessed me above and beyond my salary)
10%= $55.27
       + $29.33
       = $84.60

[Running total for missions=$30]

Paying Taxes

So I filed my taxes last week.  I've been putting it off because there was something I didn't want to do: I didn't want to report ALL the income that I received last year.  Who wants to pay more taxes?  And who would know, really, that I didn't report all my income?  It was in cash.  Last week, as the ninth hour approached, I finally sat down to finish my tax return.  I calculated to see how much I would lose if I reported my extra income- about $300.  Ouch.  Let me tell you, I reeeeally did not want to report my extra income.

But one verse keep circling in my head-- "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's."  Sigh.  I tried to rationalize my way out of it but I really could not talk my way out of that verse.  Plus, how can I ask God to bless my venture if I'm not reporting income gained from it which I'm supposed to do under the law?  And this is a venture I desperately want God to bless.  I'm hoping it'll turn into a sizable side income and that I'll be able to report it as a business in several years.

So painful as it was, I bit the bullet, reported my extra income, and regretfully bid farewell to my extra $300. It could potentially turn out to be a greater loss since I pay my student loans under the Income-Based Repayment Plan and I'm betting my loan payments will go up an extra $50 this year.  So bye-bye to $700.

But I told myself, surely God can cover a $700 shortfall.  He's a God who can multiply loaves of bread and pull coins out of fish.  If I'm really living out a life of obedience, why wouldn't God provide for me?  Obedience was extremely painful this month, but I obeyed.  The pain only lasted about a day.  Today, I feel peace;  I look forward to His provision.

Counting My Blessings

SO FAR: $17.01
$4.94 CVS
$42.82 Kohl's
$80.80 Multivitamin
$37.55 Lutein Vitamin
$57.15 probiotics
? bills
=$223.26
10%=22.32
      + 17.01
= $39.33
  - 10 (fasting from last week to go to missions)
=$29.33

[Running total for missions: $10(last week)+ $10(this week's fast)=$20]

Bucket List: Support a Missionary

So one item I've had on my bucket list is "Support a missionary."  I can finally cross it off my list.  My close friend, M,  who left several years ago to be a missionary has been supported by my church all this time.  Feeling that more funds were needed to progress in the work, M finally sent out a support letter.

I've been trying to decide how much to give to M.  I'd love to give at least $100/month but between tithe offerings and giving to humanitarian organizations, I'm already giving at about 15%.  I'm stretched to the max right now.  I've been putting off buying a new computer for a year an a half b/c I decided to make giving a priority.  It's tough right now.  The payroll tax expired, my co-pays went up, and my student loan payments went way up.  I've been determined to trust in God and haven't cut back on my level of giving but increasing it will be hard.

I think what I'm going to do is the money from fasting I've been giving to charity, I'm going to give to my friend.  I wish I could give at least $100 each to M and charity but that will have to wait until I find a better-paying job.

Counting My Blessings

SO FAR: $94.72
$112 MD
$110 MD
$17 MD
$10 Best Buy gift card
$50 rent
$100 car
$30 phone
$10 cable
$32.74 Chase points
$1.18 groceries
? Vitamins
? bills
= $472.92
10%=$47.29
          $94.72
          $10  fast
      =$152.01
        -   35   World Vision
      =$117.01
        - 100 Orphan's Tear
     =$17.01