Brilliant! Freebie!

While I'm dreaming about recieving a pay check. I'm planning how to be smart about being a good steward of my money. I have not been a good steward of my money and, while I had a mind to saving for my future. I didn't use it as a goal.

Anyway I found this really nifty printable diy envelopes for envelope budgeting. I feel like I need to cut my debit card out of my life.

Love 'em

http://www.todaysnest.typepad.com/todays-nest/2010/09/todays-money-budgeting-with-cash-envelopes.html


Here's another similar diy. So Cute!

http://kelleighratzlaff.com/featured/free-envelope-template-and-a-tutorial/

And here is a fabric version

http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2013/01/diy-wallet-for-cash-envelope-system.html?m=1

and another one

http://www.atimeforeverything.net/2011/01/diy-cash-envelope-system-wallet.html

Make sure you leave them some luv!

The Umbrella Effect

I was reading the blog on One Word 365 the suggestion was to set your One word as the top of your umbrella, and then find the words that connect to it in your mind.

I know Carve is a little "symbolic" and doesn't seem as specific as words like "Simplify." As I was listening to some sermon about Esther (I don't remember which one anymore) they were talking about how Esther just kind of let things happen to her, and didn't take intentional control over her life when she first entered the palace.

I feel like I've been doing exactly the same thing...I've been floating along letting things happen to me.

I want to be intentional. I want to know what God thinks about each of these aspects of life. And I want to see God's vision for me in each of these areas.

I know that God is the only one who can make permanent changes in my heart and in my life. I know that in my own strength I will ultimately fail. Only through God's strength and His will, will my heart heal and become soft. Only God can take a block of wood, transform it into a lump of clay form it to his will and sculpt it into perfection.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
 Psalm 73:26

Just One Thing First 30 days: Tithing

Courtesy of Filip Ologeanu

On Friday I am going to introduce my One Word for 2013. Today, I would like to introduce my One Thing for the next 30 days. All of my One Things in 2013 will be related to my One Word.  I am choosing the topic of Financial for the next 30 days. (If you need a run down of the "Just One Thing" project click here.) My one thing in the next 30 days (and hopefully beyond) is to tithe 10% of all income that I earn - or is given to me.

I've been thinking about this a lot for the past year or so, and have become increasingly convicted that money is a problem in my life. I hate it, and yet I like to buy things with it. I hate the fact that I have to make it in order to sustain myself. I would much prefer a barter and trade system. Money stresses  me out more than anything. I have been working as a teacher, and my pay had been frozen since I began teaching, and I have went to a private college, so I have significant student loans I was hoping to be able to take care of as my pay scale went up. (Teacher incentive programs and education reform is a whole 'nother blog.) Without getting into too much detail, I quit my job six months ago, and really needed to rely on the Lord to provide for me day to day. He has done it time and time again, and yet I still haven't tithed, and I'm still worried about where the next $500 is going to come from so I can pay my bills. 

This past Sunday, like most churches I'm sure, we heard a sermon about tithing. At the end of the sermon I put all of the cash I had in my wallet in the collection plate. Let's just say I had almost 10% of the money I have in the bank in my wallet. For me, it was a significant chunk of money, for the first time I felt at peace about putting the money in the basket. God asks us to tithe. Not tithing, is telling God that I don't trust that He is going to provide for me.

My whole drive home from church I was praying that God wouldn't allow me to regret that money. Well, the next day I got a phone call about a second job interview that I have been really hoping for.

10 aBring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby bput me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open cthe windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.  Malachi 3:10

I really would like to use the next 30 days to become acutely aware of God opening the windows.

Lord, I'm testing you. I know that you keep your promises.

One Word. One Thing.

photo by Sarah Varley

Please check out the Faith-Book 411 page to get some background and a list of suggested materials for this project.

Let's begin! 

We’re going to begin our faith-booking journey with a themed based faith-book. Please feel free to let your creativity run wild. I am just providing guidance and inspiration for you to continue on if/when you need it . Also, I would LOVE to post pictures of what you have been working on. Just email me a photo of the page you’ve been working on with a description of what your thought process was and a list of some of the materials you used.

So the theme for 2013 is   *drum roll please!*

One Word. One Thing. 

photo by Sarah Varley

Have you ever heard of “My One Word”, “One Word 365” or the book “The Power of Just One Thing” by Dr. Dr. Randy Carlson?

Well that’s the direction we are going to go with this Faith-Book.
 So to begin we need to come up with our one word for the year and our one thing for the next 30 days.


 I’ve given you a couple resources to help you out earlier this week, the New Years Reflections and Goals worksheets.
 You might want to Check out the “My One Word” website and the “Intentional Living” website you can subscribe to them. Intentional Living also has a free e-book and will send you 21 days of devotionals. Check it out!
 Some other resources and books you can check into to inspire you through your faith book:

The Life You've Always Wanted
Think: The Life of the Mind and The Love of God
It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know
The Do What You Can Plan

You're Made for a God-Sized Dream: Opening the Door to All God Has for You 
  

Now let’s get started!!!Page one and two of your faith book are going to be related. You may want to do this by using a similar font for your titles or create it on side by side pages. 

Vision Boarding Project 

In the spirit of the New Year, the scriptures I have to inspire you are: you have put off the old self^[a] with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Colossians 3:9&10
Colossians 3:9&10 Color
Colossians 3:9&10 Black and White


 
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Romans 12:2 Color
Romans 12:2 Black and White
 Your challenge is to represent last year on one page and summarize it by using one word and then on the second page illustrate your one word for 2013 and what you visualize that to look like.

 I’m trying to decide between two “One Word”s  for myself: the word “sculpt” and the word “carve” What is your one word? How does it translate into your “One Thing” you are going to be concentrating on for the next 30 days?

 I’ll check back in from time to time to show you my progress, and to see your masterpieces.