Making the Cut(s)

My friend invited me to a Pampered Chef party, and I realized I would love to go, but I would be tempted to buy because I absolutely LOVE Pampered Chef.  But right now . . . THIS minute, THIS month, THIS summer, we are saving every penny to try and fill some needs in my extended family and build up our food storage and put away money for a rainy day (or national disaster or terrorist attack - small things like that).  On top of that, we are trying to put any extra money towards paying off Dave's student loans as quickly as possible.  Why?  Well, for obvious reasons.  Not the least of which is the fact that I believe we have a prophet of God on earth today, that he is a prophet, seer, and revelator, and that he has counseled us -- in fact, prophets for decades have counseled us -- to get out of debt and stay out of debt!  To put away a three-month supply of food that is part of our normal diets for emergency situations.  To put away a year's supply (per person) of food that is for long-term use.  To have a 72-hour kit for each person on hand.  To put away enough money to live for three months (eventually for one year) without any income.

Yes, all these things need to be tackled in wisdom and order.  But it is in GOD'S WISDOM and ORDER, not man's.  Men have a way of putting order to things that leaves the essentials at the bottom of the list of things that never get done while the niceties rise to the top of the list of things that never get left undone.  Hence the reason we are in such economic strife right now - we don't know how to say enough, live within your means, separate needs from wants and put your house in order before you buy the extras.  )Take care of your own country before you lend money and support to the world to look good to them, all the while leaving yourself without oxygen when the airplane crashes!).  Let go of the Joneses and live like the "Chaffee's" and be content with what you have until you can AFFORD to have something more.

And it is in lieu of all that is happening in the world today,the disorder and the major things that are happening DAILY, without notice or respect of persons . . . my wisdom and order thermometer goes RED to the point of breaking at the urgency of these situations and the need to make TODAY the day that I "dam the torpedoes, full speed ahead" find a way to FOLLOW the PROPHET!  To be prepared so that I "will not fear."

All of that said, there are small things that pull on my heartstrings every day.  Things like Pampered Chef parties, sugar-free candy splurges, family vacations, things that would make living in the middle of the desert a LOT more comfortable for three small children, marathons I really want to be training for and gym memberships and running shoes I really can't afford that would help me get there, vacations and outings I would love to participate in, babysitters for me time and us time three or four times a week that I would love to be able to afford, gas for day trips or family weekend trips to L.A. or trails we can "hike" with the kids; money to make trips home for birthday parties, baby blessings, concerts, barbeques, so many things.  I would love to have a sewing table and craft corner all set up in my room.  And I would love to have money to buy fabric to start making Brianna's quilt, to take lessons at the quilt stores or do a block a month there.  And it would have been nice to buy the kids matching Easter outfits, fourth of July outfits, Christmas outfits.  I would love to fly my mom down for a week or two to do some fun projects together (also getting a babysitter a few hours a day to have time to DO a project or two without the kids) . . . or take the kids on some fun adventures I really can't handle on my own.Or go to a community theater production or Broadway or other musical with my husband (tickets are NOT cheap even for community theater).  Or the Circus that is coming to town - that would be a lot of fun, too, right?

And I think about the extra hour and a half a day that we don't have with Dave anymore because gas got too expensive for him to drive so he now rides the commuter van and has to work around its schedule.

These are just small things that have come up in the last week or two -- things I have smiled and said no to or cried inside about or walked away from or watched someone else do with longing.

And for a minute, I saw that those doing and/or inviting have just one baby . . . and family nearby . . . and husbands who have worked in their careers more than a year . . . and part-time jobs of their own, doing things they are passionate about and making money they can use to splurge for their wants (not to be confused with the friends I have who work to meet their NEEDS).  And I thought for 60 seconds that they somehow have it better.  But then I realized that it isn't about better or worse.  It's about them living their lives within their means, following what their heart tells them to do and me doing the same.  And at the end of the day, I only have to be at peace with and happy about MY decisions.  And right now Dave and I are CHOOSING to make the cut . . . . make all the cuts necessary to simply FOLLOW THE PROPHET and BE PREPARED!