All About Perspective

When I was in Colorado my sister and I got to share a bed so the kids could have places to sleep. It brought me back to my childhood, remembering nights staying up WAY TOO LATE taklking, giggling and making up fun in-bed "games" together...until we'd hear my dad's footsteps approaching our door to which we'd freeze and pretend like we were sleeping as if he would believe this common fatal attempt.

Anyway, this time as we lay in bed together, instead of games and giggling we shared stories about our kids, life and any other thing that came to mind.

One thing that came up was the subject of money. A simple phrase my sister said has stuck with me and, I believe, will be a life-changing mentality for me. She said that when she and her husband see something they want/need, they weigh the options and if they feel like they should not spend money on it, instead of saying "We don't have money for that" they say, "We are going to choose not to spend our money on that at this time."

I know, SO SIMPLE, but so freeing. It is all about perspective. If you walk around acting like you are poor, with NO money then you may end up resenting the blessings God HAS given you and may even begin to judge others and the things they choose to spend their money on.

We all have different priorities, convictions and financial statuses.

Here's the application: instead of saying "Well, WE don't have money to buy _____________ at the grocery store", or "go shopping at ____________", or "have nice things like they have", etc. try going a different route. Try saying "We DO HAVE $3 that could be spent on ice cream but we are going to choose not to spend that $3 on ice cream." (I mean, I could probably find $3 under my couch, or just wait until HT triples and get it for $1, HA!) "I could use $30 on makeup but I am going to choose NOT to." "We could pull some money out of savings to get an iPhone, but we are going to choose NOT to." You get the picture.

One more thing, my mom always said, "It's not WHAT you say, it's HOW YOU SAY IT"...so, put a smile on your face, find your "happy heart" and simply change your perspective.