Very Sleepy Girl: FPU

Apartment

Just a Few Lately's

December 13, 2009

I like cheap! After much discussion, Josh & I decided to go to Cici's for our dinner before our last FPU class. We enjoyed a wide variety of pizzas, salads, cheesy garlic bread, and desserts - divine cinnamon rolls and brownies all for $4.99 each!

Yes, FPU is over. It was a long 14 weeks! We both agree it was a good class with great benefits and that we learned a lot! But we are happy to have our Sunday evenings free again!

My downstairs neighbors moved out yesterday. 4 1/2 years of living together. I miss them already. But I've already got someone else lined up to move in next month! Cheri, one of my girls from a Growth Group a couple years ago. That will be fun!

Seeing the empty apartment was sad but also hopeful. It made me start thinking how I would set up house if I was moving into it. Sometimes a fresh start is good. I wish I didn't have so much clutter in my apartment. It just seems to pile up until it's out of control.

I'm proud to see the Indianapolis Colts doing so well!

I'm so glad that the last couple days have been warmer than earlier in the week!! We were having days with single degree temps for our high and wind gusts up to 50-60 mph!! That was incredibly rough. But, most of the snow has melted now. We had a warm-up and even saw the sun again! In case you weren't aware, winter is a very challenging time for me. Southern California softened me, and I've never been the same.

Speaking of California, I'd like to know why I keep dreaming I am back in California and back at my old job. My old job doesn't even exist anymore (which you would know if you clicked on that link)! Last night's dream was a combo of being back in L.A. AND being back in Okinawa. Why?... I don't know. But Okinawa was quite emotional for me.

Speaking of emotions, woo, my pastor should have warned us to bring extra tissues to the service today! The morning was phenomenal! Friends who are moving away lead us in worship and meditation before communion. The whole worship team sounded GREAT. The best way to describe the morning is that they BROUGHT IT! Sam's message was full of honesty that hit hard, and it wasn't just me. I was literally surrounded by crying people. The message was full of the good news that there is hope in the Lord, no matter what are life circumstances are! Truly amazing! What a blessing to be a part of this church!!

I decided to take last Friday afternoon off work. I had a number of personal errands to run and wanted to get them done on a weekday rather than the weekend. I feel like I could stand to take 2-3 more days off, ha!

Josh & I went to the Goshen High School Christmas Concert the other day. Previously I had only heard the 5th-8th grade choirs and middle school and high school musicals. Wow, they sounded great, and it was such a treat to be there! And to actually enjoy a concert with my honey next to me, rather than up on stage directing!

Around the Bend

I drive past McDonalds every day. Today I could smell the fries. I was so tempted to stop! But instead I kept driving and ate lunch at home - food I had already paid for.

Tonight I'm going shopping. I have to order a bridesmaid dress for a wedding I'm in in 9 weeks (gulp!). So I will be spending money there for the dress (as well as the wedding gift I purchased last night). And, I have a coupon for $15 off a purchase of $15 or more at a clothing store, so I might have to see what $15 can buy there.

I really want to go to other stores too. I have coupons galore in my purse. The only problem is that even if I'm saving money with the coupons, I'm still spending it on things I don't necessarily need. That is something that saving money forces you to examine: a want vs. a need.

This morning I read a great article about money saving here. One of the many things that struck me from the article was this advice: "Ask yourself, 'If I lose my job tomorrow, what would I cut?' and do it NOW instead." These are things you don't need.

Another article about needs vs. wants that I skimmed earlier today says: "But what fun is life without wants? The point isn't to abandon all of the stuff you want, but to realize how much of your monthly spending is tied to wants. It's fine and healthy to want things, but when you're sinking financially just to maintain things that you want, there's a real problem."

A final reminder from the first article: "The goal is not to cut out all sources of joy in your life, it's to spend only on those things and experiences that are going to really improve your life, that you use and enjoy a lot, and that will give you a great lift and not just a momentary lift."

I was inspired after reading the article; I hope you will take a look at it and also be inspired.

Readers, I hope you don't mind the attention I've been giving these last couple few days to the topic of saving money. It's something I need to focus on, and something I think a lot of us should be focusing on as well.