Good Words, A Travel Fund and little bit of selfishness....OK a lot. :)

     So I just have to say how encouraged we are by everyone's encouragement of us!!  I have had more people vox, text or just tell me how God has used this blog to teach them something in their own lives or are encouraged just knowing that someone else is going through the same thing too.  It's SOO HELPFUL to hear those comments!!  I just want to thank you so much because God always seems to have someone do it when we need it most.  This journey is becoming about so much more than finances.  There is a much bigger picture that God is getting at.  I've mentioned before about the legacy we are leaving for our kids and I know that is a big part of it, but your finances are the lifeline of your family for most people.  How they are handled says a lot about your priorities and what you value.  Matthew 6:21 says- "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  We were storing up all the wrong treasure.  God, with all His grace, is helping us correct that wrong.  Praise the Lord that he loves us so much to redirect our paths even when we don't know we're on the wrong one!  I just have to shout for joy really quick- "WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!"  Ok. Done. For now.
     I must share with you all about our travel fund.  Our travel fund consisted of a gallon sized glass jar that we would put all of our extra change into from the cash budget purchases.  Well throughout this journey it has been sitting on our counter almost full of change and some dollar bills.  Check it out-
It was pretty full!!

I had felt a tiny little pull from the Lord early on about this jar.  I ignored it.  So lame I know.  I justified hanging onto this jar of coins because it was for the whole family!  It wasn't just a jar that was for me and K, we had talked at length with the kids about what we were going to use this money for.  Hawaii came up, Disney Land and even a trip to Utah to see my sister and her family.  It had a purpose.  God wanted me to let it go.  I was being a big baby and didn't want to let it go.  "WHAAA!" I said to God...."Just let me keep this!  It's just coins...mostly!"  I hung onto it until one day my husband called when he got to work.  He had felt convicted about that stupid jar all the way to work and felt like we weren't really giving our all if we didn't give this jar up.  SO LAME!  At least that's what I thought at the time.  Anyway, when he got home, he and the kids emptied it out, sorted and rolled it up.  It was super exciting...so exciting that I will share some pictures with you!

Their faces say it all...pure excitement!

The barbie in the back has passed out from the sight of all this coin!

They were such good sports about it, and I think it helped make them more a part of this journey as well.

See?  Thrilling!  The grand total came out to $277.50.  The next day we marched down to Golden One and made a payment toward the principle on my car loan.  Every. Penny. Counts.  Every penny that goes toward this debt is a penny toward freedom.   I don't miss that travel fund.  All the change we get now goes into the debt jar for a extra little payment at the end of each month.  I don't know why I was such a baby about this (That darn selfishness again).  I laugh at myself now, but if we are obedient in the small things we will be trusted with bigger things.  This is about so much more than just our finances. "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noon day sun," Psalm 37: 5-6.  We commit our ways to you Lord.  ALL our ways.  Even our travel funds.

Thanks for reading friends!  Hope you had a great weekend!!