At a Biblestudy I did a long time ago we did “2 Highs and a Low” each time we met. (I’m sure its not anything you haven’t heard of). It was a little corney, but a great way to start the group and remember great things about our week that are easily forgotten while getting swept away with the daily routine. I thought since summer was in full swing we could share our own “2 Highs and a Low” about how we are all surviving these crazy, busy days.

I’ll go first:
High #1: Jeff and I have made our best effort yet to put some alone time on the calendar, get a babysitter and go out on a date. It has really made me feel better about the time when he is gone.
High#2: My oldest started soccer this summer and I have had the best time going to practices and watching him while I kick the ball around with my daughter on the side lines. It has been really fun!
Low: So many of my friends have been on vacation and not around, so it has felt a little lonely, as much fun as I am having with the kids I do miss the school year routine, and predictability of my days (part of my personality).

You go…

Now, I know money can be a very touchy subject and really a very subjective issue depending on where in the country (or world) you live. And just to get this obvious statement out of the way…NONE OF US ARE DOING THIS FOR THE MONEY (or we are not very smart). I am guessing most of us are in the category of over worked and under paid. But that can look very different at certain churches. A friend that reads this blog recently brought up a really interesting situation… She and her husband serve at a very affluent church and are in the over worked and under paid category. I actually can relate to this being in the same shoes. I am assuming that if compared, their paycheck may be a bit larger than some of ours (not that it matters), but when you are living “with the Jones’” and in a very expensive area to be near the church you are called to serve, how do you survive those crazy the financial waters? It is just a wierd place to be caught up in that kind of mix. We serve at a church that when you pull into the parking lot there will surely be 50 Porshe Sports cars,? and a few Fararri’s? sprinkled in between the Hummers. It’s a pretty fun feeling when the 16 year olds in your ministry drive far and away nicer cars than your 1992 Toyota Corola! It is an interesting struggle to face each week. I know we are grown adults and it is easy to say, “Don’t get caught up in financial matters.” Or, “Where you heart is there your treasure will be…”? All are true. But sometimes I feel more human than spiritual. Sometimes I wish I could shop at the stores that our congregation shop at. (Although, most from our church would never shop at Walmart and don’t even know where it is, they don’t know where I buy my super cute clothes). I do wish we had a nicer car. When a student has to get out of their convertible Audi and crawl into my awesome minivan, I can laugh it off most of the time. Oh, I just am admitting that I get the “I want, I want, I wants”. Its not a great feeling or one I like to linger in, but it does happen. My friend and I can’t be alone can we?

What do some of you do with those feelings?

How do you shop so you don’t feel like a poor church mouse? Hints? Tips? Great deals and steals (don’t really steal).

Practical money advice?

Just experienced “attending” church for the first time in a very long time. I came, brought my kids and was the one being ministered to. No strings attached, no one seemed to care who I was or my husband. I was in,? literally, a sea of others attending. VBS. It was so great. My kid had a blast and all week was just about fun, learning about Jesus, and hanging out. No pressures of church talk, numbers, elders, messages, volunteers. I had no part in this. No planning. No volunteering. Nothing. It was refreshing and restored my optomism of the church I love, and the family God has called to serve.