Down...but not out!

The road to financial freedom has been bumpy as of late. The month of February has been particularly challenging. Today, I found out that we need a hot water heater like YESTERDAY! Unfortunately, we no longer had our home warranty, so this one will be  on us!

I experienced so many emotions the past hour, but thanks be to God for His abundant grace! I had so many options:

a)I could turn outward and spew out my frustrations on my husband and children

b)I could turn inward and blame myself for not seeking another home warranty plan

c)I could turn upward, Psalm 121:1 and cast this care upon my Father who knows the end from the beginning and cares for every detail of my life, Matthew 10:30. I could give thanks and seek His wisdom and rest.

I chose "c". As I called upon the Lord, He comforted me and gave me wisdom to redo our budget to accomodate some of the debt. He reminded me that unlike previous times, we actually had a little over half the amount of the estimate we were given and that we could use the upcoming tax refund to build up our emergency fund again. I also enrolled with a new home warranty company so that we are better prepared for any future repairs!

Even  in our disappointments, God can cheer us and give us hope. I can thank our Father that:
- the water heater didn't burst
- the new water heater is much more energy efficient and can save us as much as $600 year
 - we get a rebate from our electric company
 - this year we can use this purchase as a credit on our taxes

This event reminds me of our Christian life. There are ups and downs, good times and bad times, but through it all, we can(unlike many in the world), give thanks and be comforted and above all, we have a hope which far surpasses any of the losses, disappointments and failures of this present world. Praise Him!