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Squirrels and Bills

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BECOME A BETTER

HUSBAND, DAD, AND LEADER.

Bills. That dreaded time of the month.

Like many families, it’s the time of the month where we try and make it all work. I’m holed up in my home office, running numbers for our bills and monthly expenses and trying to match them up with our monthly budget. I work full-time running a small business and my wife works part-time to bring in some extra cash.

It seems like each month we are working hard to get by.

Every month we sit down to talk about our upcoming expenses and how we did last month. As I look down the list of tithing, savings, mortgage, water, electricity, groceries, gas, car insurance, home repairs, internet, cell phone bills, internet, kids new shoes, dinners out, babysitters, coffee on the go, trips to the doctor, it all starts to add up. Like all families, we do our best to make it work and live within our means. But we also know that some months we have more expenses than money coming in the door. I’m often tempted to go to a place of worry or discouragement when we have an unforeseen expense come up. It feels like a step back. But I’m learning that it’s just apart of life and it’s also an opportunity to be UNCOMMEN. And here’s why:

Outside my window, I look up into the trees and see squirrels scurrying around on branches as they try to gather acorns and pack them away for the winter. So much rapid activity as they jump from branch to branch and up and down the trees. Then I look down out of my window, and there I see my 2 young kids jumping up and down on their trampoline. I can hear their laughter through the window. And this contrast really struck me.

Both my kids and the squirrels prepare for the months ahead in different ways. You see my kids don’t really have to worry much at all about anything. Their basic needs are taken care of by us. They fully trust in our ability to provide for them.  Whenever they need things they turn to us. But you see squirrels would starve if they did this. They wouldn’t have enough food to survive winter.

Looking at both squirrels and my kids, they both represent the ways that God cares for us. He gives us work to be able to provide. Yet, we must take responsibility and work hard in the job that God provides. At the same time, like my kids, God meets our needs when our resources are scarce. God always provides. Sometimes we even find that God gives us seasons of plenty so that we can prepare for seasons of need. But I often forget this truth when I’m looking down at our monthly bills. Hats off to all you men out there working hard to make it work for yourself and for your families. It’s not easy. Nor is it supposed to be. But God will meet your needs as you do your best each day. It’s a tension we live in every day.

Proverbs 12:11 “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.

 

 

5 Comments

  1. Quonzeles Byrd

    I fully agree Bill always want to get paid. There was a time we had nothing coming in. I lost my job, my wife was pregnant and our house was in foreclose. We made a faith promise of $200.00 over our tithes to a small church we were going to before I lost my job. We had nothing to eat in the house but a little bit of beans and small bag of rice. I received a check from the job I lost for exactly $200.00. to make a long story short. I quickly took that check to the church before I could changed my mind. two weeks later I had another job with benefits, so Vanessa could receive prenatal care and I got our house out of foreclosure. Bill always want to get paid but I discovered that even during those hard times you can’t beat God giving.

    Reply
    • Lee Brushwood

      AMEN AND AMEN, what a testimony! God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in HIM

      Reply
    • Juan Rodriguez

      Amen, all the glory to the most high, I also was in that situation before, with a 10 month old & expecting another one (couple of months pregnant) & both are miracles of GOD, medical science told us by 2 different specialists I couldn’t get my wife pregnant, but JESUS has a plan of His own. With 2 babies, facing forclosure, repo the car, through all that I remain calm & waited on the LORD. now I’m working a job that pays more than the job I was fired from. All the glory to GOD!!! GOD bless…

      Reply
  2. Gary

    We have been married 44 years,
    God has never let us down

    Reply
  3. Langalethu Shabane

    Amen! So inspiring

    Reply

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