Managing Your Finances

Interesting facts in the Bible on finances:

• 2350 verses on money and possessions
• 16 of 38 parables Jesus taught dealt with finances
• 1 out of 6 verses in Matthew, Mark, Luke relate to money and possessions
• 3 times more verses in the Bible about money and possessions than love
• 7 times more than prayer
• 8 times more than belief

"Well done, good and faithful servant!" Matt 25:21 The goal of every Christian is to hear God say these words when we meet Him face to face. But did you know this statement refers to how we did with the money God entrusted to us? I didn't know that. I always thought it was a general statement about what we did with our life.

Tonight I went to Week 2 of a Managing Money Workshop at Saddleback and the above was an enlightening take away. What I find most interesting is that at this time in my life, my income is at its lowest point and I really don't want to face the music on this topic. So just listening to the things I'm supposed to be doing with my money is quite painful. My stomach is in serious knots. I'm thankful for the Excel spreadsheets because they will help me to start tracking and planning. But I still don't know whether I'll be unemployed in a month so I'm tempted to procrastinate once again.

The end of March will determine so much. My 60 notice is up on March 27, Saddleback makes an announcement on March 28 about a new worship center they're "building" and my custody hearing with Carlos is on March 29. Crazy or what? It's a culmination of something big, I think.

God's got a plan...that I do know!

What do you think God's trying to tell us when you look at our Country in the financial state it's in? Post a comment.

Fear

We had an intimate session tonight with our small group as some could not make it. Sometimes when there are less people I think we tend to open ourselves up to vulnerability than when there's a larger group. It's pretty cool actually.

We're in Week 2 of "No Other Gods." The last chapter titled "Why Idols" has to do with fear. Whatever we fear is our god. Fear itself is not the god; the object of our fear is the god. For some people fear can be the single most debilitating and paralyzing emotion. I look back on my life and can easily remember all the things I was afraid of. For the past several years I have this fear of being homeless. Therefore, my home becomes my idol. The importance of having this home is the focus of my thoughts. Even though I prayed for this home and I honestly believe God gave us this home, I know God doesn't want me to put it before Him. So when I get stressed about the rent, instead of obsessing, I go to Him with my burden and truly let go and trust that since He provided this house, He'll take care of the rent. Yeah right...these words were so easy to type. Yet I know it's true so why won't I believe them? It's the essence of what God is teaching me at this point in my life.

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in You!

The author writes this: "I will say that Scripture has been tremendously effective in combating my fears. Not because scripture is full of helpful quotes about how not to be afraid, but because it's actually the recording of God's heart toward His creation--a creation He knows is prone to be afraid at every turn. He knows our frailty. He knows what causes our blood to run cold. He knows that fear can be our default. I wonder if this is why Scripture has so much to say about it."

I want to be at peace today. I want to really know in my heart that when God tells me not to fear, He will empower me not to fear. This morning as I contemplated the giant list of burdens (and I'm not exaggerating), I listened to my Christian music, talked with my sister in Christ, Aida, did my homework for small group and I prayed. And of course, all of these things were just what I needed to feel at peace. I was good for the rest of the day.

Then right before I came in to write this, my dad tells me about the Verizon bill. Okay Lord, I have to start all over again.

And that's how it's done!!...........................................I just made God laugh!

Happy Birthday Chloe

Today is my daughter's 18th birthday. She started her day at 7:30am.!!!! Seriously, Chloe?? I don't remember the last time I saw her beautiful face that early on a Sunday morning. I hadn't yet wrapped her presents because I thought I'd have hours. Her father took her to get her nails and toes done and then to lunch. She went to have coffee in Laguna and then dinner at K'ya with her girlfriends. We were able to get her for dessert. Oh wait, we did have breakfast together. I made her poached eggs with tapatio on toast. Hey, at least we got her today, right? I made her a mini red velvet bundt cake with cream cheese frosting so we could sing a horrific rendition of the b-day song. It was the thought that counts and the cake "looked" yummy..yes, all I could do was look, unfortunately. She had a fantastic day surrounded by people who love her to death. What more could she want...except for that car she asked her dad for.

I stopped by to wish my friend Tawnya a Happy Birthday. I couldn't make it for the dinner because I was focused on Chloe's day. But I was happy to see the girls. I don't get a chance to see this group often so I was happy to spend a few minutes with them. I love these ladies. It makes me so appreciative of their friendship because I don't offer much of my time these days. I'm so wrapped up with the challenges in my life and that may seem like a poor excuse, I know. But these ladies are so gracious and loving, it makes me love them all the more. I love you Tawnya, Cindy and Laura!

So the word out on the street and in the OC Register is that Saddleback Church's Rick Warren is the top contender for The Ranch. HMMMMMMMM is all I can say. No, I can say that I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be an employee of Saddleback Church. We'll all have to wait and see.

His Perfect Timing

This is from my How to Pray in Challenging Times book:

Pray God will grant you faith enough and humility enough to leave things in His hands and in His perfect timing.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (New International Version)
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Have you ever had so much to do that you don't know where to start? Ever been so overwhelmed with everything on your plate that you find yourself during the day taking deep breaths that are really huge sighs? I felt this way today.

This is the perfect prayer and the perfect verse for days like today. I did read it a few times during the day. I wish I could say I have complete peace but I don't. I do rest in the fact that God's timing is perfect.

Farewell to Cheryl

Cheryl, who has been the Chief Operating Director at the Ranch for 15 years is no longer an active staff member as of yesterday. Today our weekly meeting went on without her as will operations here on the Ranch.

I personally would not have had this wonderful opportunity if it weren't for Cheryl. She took a chance with hiring me despite the opposition from trusting staff members due to my lack of experience in this industry. I will always be grateful to her for that and the support she provided on a personal level as well. I have no doubt that God has a plan for her. Maybe it will be here on the Ranch in the future or maybe there's another fabulous opportunity awaiting her gifts and talents. In any case, I wish her all the best and many wonderful blessings.

My amazing news has not been announced yet so sorry, still can't comment on that. As a matter of fact, the announcement in this morning's meeting was the opposite of what I thought. That is, the deal for the sale of the Ranch is not consummated. My source is truly the most reputable person yet it's so so difficult to decipher the truth when I come here. Everyday, has some news yet I don't know if it's true or not true. This is beyond crazy!!!

The Ranch aside, I got ntoice yesterday that my ex-husband is suing for custody of my youngest daughter. He was awarded only visitation in the divorce proceedings. I'm looking to the Lord to work this out for me because I'm exhausted. I'm completely surrendering this to Him as I just don't have it in me for another fight. But the Lord does intevene and I'm confident this outcome will be just as He knows it should be for Livi's well being. Please keep us in prayer.

3 Letters Describe Today

OMG!!!

Normally, in texting, I use this to represent "Oh My Gosh!! But today, it's oh MY GOD! My God let me behold a miracle tonight. Everything was orchestrated so perfectly for this to happen. I can't even put it into words, it's so amazing.

However, I can't tell you about it just yet. I gave my word. So, you'll just have to tune in over the next couple of days

Is It a Sense of Entitlement?

I have worked very creatively on the Ranch over the past year and half to make it as beautiful as I could using what little I had. One of my favorite rooms is used mainly by the grooms as their dressing room. It's one of two casitas (little houses). I re-decorated it last year and purchased items from Pier One when it went out of business in Mission Viejo. It was so cute. Today, I found out that curtains (bought with my own money) along with 2 decorator pillows were stolen. It sounds so trivial I know...but now when you walk in the room now it's funny to see these orange pillows on brown sofas. The curtains and the other pillows tied it all together. It was just complete and now it's not.

They were no guests in the Hacienda rooms this past week. That could only mean the thief is an employee. Why steal them now after they've been there almost a year? And why not take anything else in the room? There are cute knick-knack stuff that match perfectly. How did he/she get a key? When would there be an opportunity? It doesn't seem like it would be a guy because what guy would want curtains and pillows. I'm driving myself crazy with these questions.

The fallout of closing the Ranch is most felt by the employees. However, does that make it okay for us to feel a sense of entitlement to anything we want to take? Just because we don't have jobs in 60 days gives us the right to steal in order to somehow get paid what we deserve?

I just don't get it. I'm supposed to be working in ministry...on God's holy land. I have to let this go. This is the kind of thing that eats at me for days. I mentioned before that I have this crazy inquisitive quality and I keep going over it to see if I missed anything that could be a clue to who it is. But there's too much already to think about to add this on top. So I pray to let this go.

Since this is only the 2nd week, my fear is that this is only the beginning of what's to come.