Radical or Responsible?

I did the same thing with this post as I did with the "Caleigh-fornia" post....I'm a dork. :)

Today's lesson at church was about living the radical life Jesus called us to, and I have really been struggling with this idea lately because a lot of my friends are reading the book Radical. Radical is about living radically in the biblical sense, leaving all you have and following after Christ. And I couldn't agree more. We should live a totally radical life that brings glory to God. But, I have also been doing a lot of research about paying off debt and how that relates (if at all) to biblical principles. As I have posted before, there are many scriptures about our responsibility to pay off our debt and once paid off to live debt free. So I have been feeling very torn about what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to do it.

After today's lesson I found Paston David and just asked him, "Where do you find balance between living radically and living responsibly?" I expected him to tell me that radical living comes first, period. But he didn't. He said the answer to that question is TIME. He continued by saying, "At this time you are living biblically by paying off your debt and not being a slave to your past and debt. At this time you are living responsibly by paying off the debt you owe, and in time you will be able to live radically." It made me feel good about what John and I have been doing lately, because I haven't felt a call to live radically...yet. I have though, felt a HUGE call to pay off our debt. He ended by saying the most important thing we can do when trying to decide whether to live radically or responsibly is to examine our heart. If we are living responsibly out of selfishness or fear then we should reexamine our priorities. But if we are living responsibly because we want to follow all that the Lord has said then we are in good shape.

Pay off your debt so you can finally live free of the burden of being slave to your money. Why do you think the Lord's prayer includes a line about forgiving our debts? Because it's a big deal to be debt free. I can't wait for the day that we can say, "WE ARE DEBT FREE!"

Caleigh-fornia

So...apparently I have more blogs than I know what to do with! I can't see my blogs from school because the actual blog is blocked by the district. I can however post things. So I wrote the following post from school two weeks ago and then I posted it to the WRONG blog! Sorry you didn't receive the update when I originally posted it, but here it is now. Enjoy! :)

Yay! I have hit the 27th week in this pregnancy! At the end of this week I will be entering the third trimester, which is both exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. I have been drinking my gallon of water (dehydration is one of the causes of contractions) everyday, at this time I am wearing my Camelbak (a backpack made to hold water) and I look like a huge dork doing it! But do I care? Heck no! My students already know that I am crazy, now they have proof! ;-)

I am taking magnesium and folate supplements, which are supposed to help reduce the amount of contractions I have. And I am trying to take it easy as much as possible. The contractions seem to be more intense at the end of the day, I had 5 in one hour yesterday evening, and when I am exerting ANY physical activity, IE walking up the stairs, bending over, lifting Hailey. It's been a real bummer not being able to pick up Hailey any time I want, but maybe that's God's way of helping her become a little more independent.

John has been a huge help during all of this. He has really stepped up to the plate. I still try to give Hailey her baths and we cuddle at night before bed, but John has mostly taken over doing the dishes, playing with Hailey after work, drying her and dressing her after her bath. It has been really nice. Maybe this is God's way of preparing John for after Caleigh is born! ;-) He is still doing his schooling, but has decided to go at it full speed and is trying to be finished with 8 more weeks of school in the next 4 weeks. I know he wants to be done before Caleigh is born and I am sure would love to be done before the holidays hit.

The last update we have is about Dave Ramsey and our financial peace. We just recently paid off another credit card! Yay! We are now up to $15,547 of paid off debt! Again, it's hard to see that number and not get annoyed that in the last 10 months we have paid that much money into "nothing", but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Only 2 more loans, 1 car loan, and 1 credit card to go and we'll be screaming from the rooftops, "We are DEBT FREE!"

I know times are tough for everyone right now, but I recently heard someone describing what true worship of God looked like. It's not necessarily singing in a church, but it is finding God in everything you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. Find Him in the little things and thank Him for them. Thank Him for these struggles, for you don't know what purpose they serve. Find Him in it all and then you will truly be worshipping the God of the universe.

Blessed

Life around here has been pretty blessed. John and I have been getting along great! Hailey is learning how to share with her new friend Kadence Lorelei (Mommy's friend Nydia brings her over everyday to be watched at our house by our new sitter Laci) and Hailey can even say Caleigh (pronounced cali). It may sound a bit like Daleigh, but at least she is trying. We tell her everyday that she has a little sister coming soon and she points to my belly and says, "Baby!" She likes to go in Caleigh's room and put her dolly in the baby swing. She points to the bed and says, "Shh, ni night." I think she is going to be a great helper. She helps mommy fold laundry and loves to do the dishes, so I am super excited about how she can help when Caleigh does get here. :)

On a little bit more serious note, the biggest concern for our family right now is that I have been having braxton hicks contractions (the doc says they are not "real" contractions, but tell that to my uterus when I am walking down the hall and have to double over because of the tightness and pain) for several weeks now. The doctors have recommended I drink LOTS of fluid (a gallon of water a day) and take limited duty at work. What all that means is, I have to pee a lot, which doesn't sound like limited duty to me, and I can't walk around like teachers do. I am stuck sitting in a student desk for the remainder of the pregnancy, or for as long as I will fit in one! I am currently 27 weeks, which is exciting because at the end of this week we will be in the third trimester, and due January 18, 2011. Our prayer for the moment is that Caleigh will remain comfy and safe until at the very least January 15, so she can be born on the same day at Hailey. As you may know, John and Matt were both born on the 14th and Michael and I were both born on the 28th, so it would be super cool if Hailey and Caleigh could be born on the 15th. :)

The last bit of news is that John is currently back in school getting his Master's Certificate in Lean Six Sigma. He has already received his green belt (bring on the karate jokes) and will be receiving his black belt in December (remember those karate jokes? who's laughing now? ;-). I just want him to know how proud I am of him. There is no way my brain could have any more room for schooling at this point, so I don't know how he does it! A Bachelor's degree and now a Master's Cert, all in the last 2 years! You go boy! ;-)

We love you all long time,
The Andersons