Spouse won’t follow the plan

Q.What can someone do if they can’t convince their spouse to begin planning and saving? I’ve tried for years to persuade my wife to join me in following your plan, but I can’t get her to start thinking about our financial future and stop living in the moment.

Recently, I was in Nashville for the annual UNITE event, sponsored by CBA: The Association for Christian Retail, from which conversations have been heard on The Meeting House; there is audio and video material available through MeetingHouseOnline.info.  One guest was Don Piper, author of the best-selling book, 90 Minutes in Heaven, who talked about his forthcoming book, People I Met at the Gates of Heaven: Who’s Going to Be There Because of You?  If you’re familiar with Don’s story, he is someone who was declared to be dead, yet returned from the dead with a story of having traveled to heaven.  In this latest book, he relates that he saw people who had an impact on his life and challenges Christians to impact the lives of others and share what it takes to get to heaven.

It’s no secret that parenting is, by far, one of the most difficult jobs in our society. The idea of bringing a new life into this world and raising  that life into a self-sufficient, happy, and healthy adult is not only daunting but, to many, terrifying. One of the most common problems when it comes to parenting is healthy discipline and boundaries. Where do we draw the line? Where do I find the line? What in the world is the line? For many, this concept is clear and traditions of discipline have been passed down from generation to generation. For some, the concept of disciplining children is hazy and anxiety provoking.

One look.

One word.

That’s all it takes to know someone else knows. One nanosecond for shame to envelop your soul like a smothering blanket.

I felt that way. I was in a rush and not paying attention. Hoping to catch the next city bus in less than ten minutes, I cruised my shopping cart into the nearest check-out and tossed my items on the conveyer belt. Fifteen items maybe? I looked up to feel the burning glare of the clerk.

A friend of mine, Betsy Hake, has been a missionary in Honduras for almost 40 years. About 20 years ago the Lord burdened her heart to present Christ and His love to those who are the least likely to ever walk into a church. Among those are the women and men prostitutes of Tegucigalpa and their children. Her organization is called Jericho Ministries. The following is taken from both an interview with her and her blog posting of July 24, 2015. It illustrates how God is at work in places we may not want to go.

I have a bucket list…a set of experiences and goals that I want to accomplish in my lifetime. Many women don’t even consider what would be on such a list while they are working, raising children, and keeping the family finances afloat with their paychecks.

Creating a bucket list for us women is important because living with expectancy helps create excitement and adds spice in our lives. God created us as dreamers. We think in pictures. Imagination and image is one in the same. Additionally, as free-will human beings we get to choose the image we keep in front of us. And if we, like Jacob’s cattle, stare at something long enough we will reproduce what we keep seeing (Genesis 30:37-42).

RRJ:  As a manager at Sam’s Club, what does your job entail?

Michael:  I assist and develop in directing our management team in all facility operations. I assist in providing supervision and development opportunities for members of management and hourly associates. I assist in directing and guiding members of management and hourly associates on proper member service approaches and techniques. I contribute to membership and sales growth. I coordinate, complete and oversee job-related activities and assignments. I ensure compliance with company policies and procedures and support our company mission, values and standards of ethics and integrity.

When I Am Afraid

Edward T. Welch

When I Am Afraid by Edward T. Welch is a short book.  It is also a very powerful book.  The author sets forth his intended goals at the beginning of the book.

Occasionally I have the blessing of hosting international visitors in my home, especially from the small African nation of Malawi.  At the end of the trip I always ask several debriefing questions, one of which is, “What disappointed you most about what you saw in America?”  Without hesitation, it is almost always the same answer: “That you could go the whole day and not speak to your neighbors.”  I’m privately thinking, “A day? I can go a month without even trying!”  Such is the nature of our isolated North American culture.  But it is a convicting statement that I need to be reminded of by my African friends.