My Friday (09.12.08)

I am actually going to tell you about today and last Friday in the same post. The reason is that they have some things in common.

First - last Friday marked the end of a long journey for Leslie and me. We got to call Dave Ramsey's radio program to let them know we are debt free except for our home! (We didn't get to talk to anyone, just left a message... I am sure they will call us back.) The story is long and it include incredible blessing, unusual discipline and the opportunity to teach our kids what I never got to learn about money - it is all God's and we are stewards of it!

Now, for this Friday - we woke up today, got the kids off to school and Leslie, Katherine and me went on our usual Friday morning breakfast date.

After we got home it was high gear media watch because of Hurricane Ike and the crisis it is creating. Tyler received about 2000 evacuees just around the corner and I spent the afternoon over there helping take out trash, breaking down boxes and anything else I could find to do that wasn't in the way. Another church in town (Grace Community Church) has done a great job mobilizing people and casting a vision for ministry in this context. It was a privilege to hang out with some of them in that context today.

Tonight we had some friends over for dinner. They have a great ministry and God is using them in this community to do something no one else is doing very well - they are doing multi-cultural ministry with low-income families. They are passionate about it and are incredibly gifted. It is a great blessing to get to come alongside them and be mutually encouraged.

One final note for the day - we got to give away a car today. Yeah, I've never done that before. This week we got a deal on a car that we couldn't pass up and then found ourselves with three. We don't need three. We felt led to give one away and it was awesome. And that brings me back to where I started - we are debt free. I told Leslie today that this was in no way about us, it was about God. And what I realized today is that when you are debt free, it is much easier for things to flow through you... they don't get stuck. That is my observation and the great joy we had.

I share that not to say anything about us... rather to say God is awesome. I am more and more passionate about wanting people to get out of debt. Dave Ramsey is the place to start (or a great place to start). Come on... do it, what are you waiting for?

Ok... that is my Friday - how was yours?


As always: *Propers to Todd Wright for the “My Friday” movement.