Hurry Up and Wait
So not a lot has happened recently, and a lot has happened recently which is why I haven't posted anything in a week. The "not a lot has happened" part is really that there hasn't been a short story that began and ended in a single day, so hard to tell that story until it has made its cycle.
Now the "a lot has happened" part: my contract is ending with one company and beginning with another. The job is still the same, but just the hassle to get benefits, finances, and taxes all in order during this transition. There have online webinars, emails, papers to read, papers to sign, papers to scan and submit, offices to go to, deliveries in the mail....tons of stuff that was hard to independently describe without all the other pieces. So that is all coming from the new company KBRwyle. The old company, EXOS, is having its own share of paperwork, emails, and taskers to address during their phase out process. On top of that, it is tax time and I have procrastinated in doing those. So I am searching for legal documents to submit, download, file, and all that. My inbox and outbox in that area has been full.
The other thing that is of note, is that I have started monetizing my free time. I put myself and my services out there on the internet (craigslist) as a "neighbor on call." Moving things, lifting things, cutting grass, helping with installs, home repairs, or whatever simple stuff people need done quickly, cheaply, and simply. I was able to get on a yard for a lady that had a bit of tidying needed. Nothing crazy though. It was the first cut of the season, so a few months of weeds had grown and needed edged and trimmed. Leaves had fallen and been stuck in the bushes. Bushes are over grown and need trimmed back. Like I said, nothing crazy, just a bunch of little stuff that landscaping companies charge way too much for because of the overhead they have with sending 3 people to attack a job like that and the commercial grade equipment they need to have for their bigger jobs. This house is on my way back home from work every day, so I stop by and put in a couple hours here and there and am home at the same time as my wife and daughter. Perfect situation to make some extra fun money while paying off some overdue debts (student loans, cars) that I would love to snowball out of existence.
This leads me to my next point about financial stewardship. I have been convicted recently to put my family above everything else, and the biggest way I am at fault in that is financially. We aren't broke, but we definitely need our jobs. I did a Dave Ramsey course at work last year and it helped us come up with a budget. We have held to it pretty well and have always been current on bills. Every now and then I skip a student loan payment around the end of the year due to holiday travel and gift buying. But overall pretty on top of things. But I want to have more financial freedom which will need to future financial security. I'm tired of owing people/companies money and seeing it fly out the door before I ever see it. I need to put my family above a new fishing rod, cooler, fish finder, rifle, power tool or whatever else is shiny, new and I can rationalize to myself. I can do this by getting by with all the things I already have, selling off the stuff I don't use and stop hoarding, using these things to provide a service to others that will help pay off debts faster, and get out of debt sooner to free up money that could allow us to retire, provide a college fund, pay for a wedding, first car, or whatever things are more important in the big picture.
I also feel convicted to tithe more at church as we have been going through this de-cluttering of our lives and re-prioritizing. Because of my beliefs, I feel that this is God's money provided to me through work, and I owe Him this money to advance His kingdom and to share the gospel with every man, woman and child in the world. From a human side, it can demonstrate a contentment with the things that I have. It will illustrate to my wife and daughter that I do believe some things are more important than others in life. The most important is a faith and relationship with God. My wife has that, but the fruit of faith is a demonstration of that faith; knowing God will provide, and trusting him to do what He says He will do. If I truly believe that, I can give money to church. Another important point that is being illustrated is gratitude and appreciation with what you have been given and earned. If you are constantly spending on the next best thing, you never appreciate what you have. It also demonstrates a lack of fulfillment that you seek through acquiring stuff. I want to make sure that isn't the message I am sending to anyone, especially God, my family and friends.
Here are some links to things I have mentioned in this post:
Dave Ramsey The Total Money Makeover Book
Black and Decker String Trimmer
Craftsman Riding Mower
Toro Leaf Blower
Canon Printer Scanner Combo
Now the "a lot has happened" part: my contract is ending with one company and beginning with another. The job is still the same, but just the hassle to get benefits, finances, and taxes all in order during this transition. There have online webinars, emails, papers to read, papers to sign, papers to scan and submit, offices to go to, deliveries in the mail....tons of stuff that was hard to independently describe without all the other pieces. So that is all coming from the new company KBRwyle. The old company, EXOS, is having its own share of paperwork, emails, and taskers to address during their phase out process. On top of that, it is tax time and I have procrastinated in doing those. So I am searching for legal documents to submit, download, file, and all that. My inbox and outbox in that area has been full.
The other thing that is of note, is that I have started monetizing my free time. I put myself and my services out there on the internet (craigslist) as a "neighbor on call." Moving things, lifting things, cutting grass, helping with installs, home repairs, or whatever simple stuff people need done quickly, cheaply, and simply. I was able to get on a yard for a lady that had a bit of tidying needed. Nothing crazy though. It was the first cut of the season, so a few months of weeds had grown and needed edged and trimmed. Leaves had fallen and been stuck in the bushes. Bushes are over grown and need trimmed back. Like I said, nothing crazy, just a bunch of little stuff that landscaping companies charge way too much for because of the overhead they have with sending 3 people to attack a job like that and the commercial grade equipment they need to have for their bigger jobs. This house is on my way back home from work every day, so I stop by and put in a couple hours here and there and am home at the same time as my wife and daughter. Perfect situation to make some extra fun money while paying off some overdue debts (student loans, cars) that I would love to snowball out of existence.
This leads me to my next point about financial stewardship. I have been convicted recently to put my family above everything else, and the biggest way I am at fault in that is financially. We aren't broke, but we definitely need our jobs. I did a Dave Ramsey course at work last year and it helped us come up with a budget. We have held to it pretty well and have always been current on bills. Every now and then I skip a student loan payment around the end of the year due to holiday travel and gift buying. But overall pretty on top of things. But I want to have more financial freedom which will need to future financial security. I'm tired of owing people/companies money and seeing it fly out the door before I ever see it. I need to put my family above a new fishing rod, cooler, fish finder, rifle, power tool or whatever else is shiny, new and I can rationalize to myself. I can do this by getting by with all the things I already have, selling off the stuff I don't use and stop hoarding, using these things to provide a service to others that will help pay off debts faster, and get out of debt sooner to free up money that could allow us to retire, provide a college fund, pay for a wedding, first car, or whatever things are more important in the big picture.
I also feel convicted to tithe more at church as we have been going through this de-cluttering of our lives and re-prioritizing. Because of my beliefs, I feel that this is God's money provided to me through work, and I owe Him this money to advance His kingdom and to share the gospel with every man, woman and child in the world. From a human side, it can demonstrate a contentment with the things that I have. It will illustrate to my wife and daughter that I do believe some things are more important than others in life. The most important is a faith and relationship with God. My wife has that, but the fruit of faith is a demonstration of that faith; knowing God will provide, and trusting him to do what He says He will do. If I truly believe that, I can give money to church. Another important point that is being illustrated is gratitude and appreciation with what you have been given and earned. If you are constantly spending on the next best thing, you never appreciate what you have. It also demonstrates a lack of fulfillment that you seek through acquiring stuff. I want to make sure that isn't the message I am sending to anyone, especially God, my family and friends.
Here are some links to things I have mentioned in this post:
Dave Ramsey The Total Money Makeover Book
Black and Decker String Trimmer
Craftsman Riding Mower
Toro Leaf Blower
Canon Printer Scanner Combo
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