Furry Fun

Even though I wrote in my last post about sometimes wanting to turn down my house/pet-sitting jobs, I really do enjoy them. I'm an animal-lover by nature, so getting paid to hang out with them is a pretty sweet deal, if I do say so myself. Inspired by my small group's study of Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts*, I was determined to go into my spring break (aka Marathon Pet-Sitting Week) with a thankful heart, and I thought I'd carry that positive attitude over here to the blog. On that note:

1. The Love. You know how you walk through the door and your dog is there to greet you ecstatically? Imagine walking into multiple houses and being greeted by multiple animals multiple times a day. There are extra snuggles at night, more kisses than you can handle, and the amazing unconditional acceptance dogs always give. (The cats?  Not so much.) These fur babies are missing their owners, and they're starving for attention. That's where YOU come in, Hero Pet-Sitter!

2. The Exercise. Lots of four-legged friends means lots of energy, and what better way to work it off than with a stroll around the block? I think I've walked twice a day every day this week, and I've lost two pounds as a result of my higher-than-normal activity level. Happy dogs, happy waistline. It's a win-win situation!

3. The Relaxation. If it wasn't for my desperation to earn/save money, I probably would have spent my spring break visiting my parents in Florida. It would've no doubt been a blast, but chances are good that I'd have gone back to work just as (if not more) exhausted than when I left. But when I'm pet-sitting, I'm getting paid to sit with pets. So while I'm free to carry on as normal, I'm also expected to keep these furry friends company for at least part of the day. That means sitting around their houses reading, writing, playing with them, or watching TV. So even though I've been "working" this week, I also feel remarkably rested.

4. The Dress Code. Exercise and muddy paws don't exactly lend themselves to "business casual." In my experience, it's more like yoga pants and hoodies, and that is 100% A-OK with me! Dogs and cats don't care if you've showered, done your hair, or changed your shirt in the last three days.  It's incredibly freeing and a great reminder that it's the inside that counts!

5. The Flexibility. I pet-sit ALL THE TIME. Weekdays, weekends, holidays, overnight, and for two week stretches. Aside from going out of town myself, there's very little I can't do while working this job. I'm not tied down to a store or an office, and I can make my own hours. Getting to make money and continuing to live your life while doing it is priceless.

If you find yourself needing a little extra cash, or just want to help your pet-parent friends out, give house-sitting a try.  I can't guarantee that you won't come home with a pound of fur in your overnight bag, but I can promise you'll be relaxed, happy, and you never know, maybe even thinner!

Tightrope Walkin'

I've been ignoring the blog lately, but it's only temporary, I promise!  I wrote a few months ago about my friends/landlords wanting to sell their house, and while they've decided against it, I'm still making plans to move out and begin the foster care licensing process some time soon.  Moves cost money, though, so God and I made a deal... whenever He provides the $___ I need, I'll know it's time to take that step.  It might take six months, or it could take two years.  I'm being diligent about saving, but completely open to His timing.

That being said, when my church approached me last month about stepping into an interim position to help the transition between children's ministers go more smoothly, I jumped at the chance.  Not for a split second did I consider the time I'd need to invest or the weight of the additional responsibility; my only thought was moving money!!!  It seemed like such an answer to prayer that I never thought to ask for confirmation.

While having a second job obviously puts me a little closer to my goal of moving out, it also takes away from my writing time, and I've wrestled with guilt over that decision.  Now, for all I know, God may have planned this season so that I could let my projects simmer and return to them with new eyes and a fresh perspective, but I'll never know because I was too set on doing what "made sense."

This is where it's easy to get tripped up and fall into the enemy's trap.  We pray for provision, and then when opportunities present themselves, we busy ourselves in the name of "God's plan."  But at what cost?  How much of what we do to earn money is in line with what He truly wants for us?  What do we sacrifice in order to chase that paycheck and the dream it fulfills?

The extra hours I've put in haven't bothered me in a physical, practical sense; I still have the time necessary to stay on top of my responsibilities, and I truly enjoy what I do.  But spiritually, I've found that I'm walking a fine line.  One side has me relying on God's time, the other, taking things into my own hands.  One side leads to the love of money itself, the other, recognizing the love of the Provider.  It's a battle between seizing an opportunity and potentially ignoring my calling, willingness to work hard and taking time for holy rest.

Maybe you're not saving for a down payment, but I'd be willing to bet that everyone has a God-given dream that hinges on a bank account balance.  Maybe it's upgrading to a more reliable car.  Maybe it's quitting your job to stay home with your kids.  Maybe it's traveling or getting out of debt or starting a non-profit ministry.  Or maybe you just want to make it to the end of the month without worrying about how you're going to get food on the table.  Whatever your financial dreams, I absolutely encourage you to ask for provision.  But when the opportunities come, don't forget to weigh the costs, pray about your decision, and trust Him regardless of what He says.  Unnecessary busyness is never a part of God's plan for us, and no goal is worth giving up those things that are most important to us.

Making It Count

Nothing feels as good as success, does it?

Last month, I had the joy of reaching a long-time goal: paying off $6,500 in credit card debt.  Thanks to medical bills and grad school followed by a career change and a 60% pay cut, I'd been carrying that load around for years, making very little progress when it came to reducing the balance.  When the opportunity came to receive a promotion and small raise, I was determined to make every extra penny count.  Two years of hard work and determination later, I'm debt free and wanted to share some of the lessons I've learned in case they can help or inspire someone else.

1) It's possible to be content with less.  The world says more is better... more house, more vacations, more clothes, more stuff.  More of anything will make you happy.  Guess what-- it doesn't.  I down-sized from a two bedroom apartment to a mother-in-law suite with less than 500 sq ft.  My car has almost 190K miles on it.  I travel 3-4 times a year instead of once a month (or more).  All of these things have not only saved me money, but time and stress as well.  Simpler really is better.

2) It costs money to have friends.  In some circles this might not be the case but in my experience, friends can be expensive!  They want you to go out to eat, attend concerts and movies and sporting events, and every year have birthdays that deserve to be celebrated.  Despite the cost that can come with relationships, they are worth every penny.  In some of my more frugal times, I declined every invitation to socialize that came my way, and I was miserable.  I need my community, and if it means working a few extra social events into my budget, I'm happy to do so.  It's possible to be reasonable and have fun at the same time.

3) Working for free pays off.  Whenever I take spiritual gifts inventories, the gift of service always ranks in my top 3 scores.  Obviously, I love helping people!  What I've found, though, is that my willingness to serve can sometimes be a means for provision.  When people know you're willing to do anything, they're more likely to ask when they need your help- and often, they're willing to pay for it.  I've been hired as a baby-sitter, pet-sitter, house-sitter, tutor, life guard, plant-waterer, office organizer, interior decorator... you name it, I've probably gotten paid to do it.  I would do (and have done) many of those things for free, but my side jobs have played a big role in getting out of debt!

4) Giving is a lot more fun when you don't owe the bank.  No matter how frugal I tried to be, I never skimped on tithing to my church.  In my leanest months, I gave more just to test the idea that you can never out-give God.  (And yes, it's true!)  But once my credit card balance hit $0.00, the grip I had on my wallet loosened even more and giving to non-profits became not just an obligation or experiment, but a source of joy.  It's a great feeling knowing your money is making a real difference in the world, and not just going to the bank or getting wasted on a late-night trip to Starbucks.

5) Consumerism is a much bigger problem than we realize.  It isn't until we start tracking every dollar spent that we begin to notice how much of our  money is thrown away.  Everywhere we turn, there are advertisements telling us we need this.  Even if we're smart enough to realize we don't, the world will tell us that we deserve to get what we want.  And so we buy.  We spend.  We wear those labels proudly and post pictures of our stuff all over social media in the hopes that people will like us.  The bad news may be that consumerism isn't going anywhere any time soon.  The good news is that it's a game we don't have to play.  Be intentional with your money and rise above the gotta-have-its.

Getting out of debt is a slow and seemingly pointless race.  It takes work and time and sacrifice, but I know from experience that it's absolutely worth it!  The truth is, money is not ours but God's, and it's not until we have full control over it that we can truly be the stewards we were meant to be.  Stop making the rich people richer and start making your money count!