In the last two weeks the following has happened:
- My upstairs air conditioning went out costing me over $1,000.
- The budget on my electric bill was underpaid last year costing me over $300 to catch up.
- My escrow was also underpaid creating an unexpected expense of several hundred dollars.
- My homeowners association decided I needed over $400 of yard improvements.
- There were several other steep costs this past month.
- And finally, the air conditioner on my car went out last week and will cost over $1,000.
Fortunately, I have been saving for emergencies for quite a while so I have not had to go in debt. However, my savings is definitely taking an unexpected hit.
I was growing frustrated as the bills were coming in one after another. I began to dread going to the mailbox or answering my phone. My wife said, “Honey, don’t lose your joy.” I replied, “I’m not losing my joy. I’m losing thousands of dollars.” Can you tell she is the mature one in the family!
Here was what I was reminded of and 11 things I am embarrassed to admit about myself:
- I am embarrassed about how much I am addicted to comfort and how much it matters to me.
- I am embarrassed about how easy I want things to be.
- I am embarrassed how addicted I am to systems. Things are simply supposed to work a certain way and when they do not, I am not happy.
- I am embarrassed how much I hate inconvenience and do not see how God uses inconvenience to smooth off my rough edges and make me more like Him.
- I am embarrassed because enough is never enough. I think I trust God with my money but spend a lot of time figuring out my retirement and next vacation.
- I am embarrassed about how quickly I can go from relaxation and self-reliance to desperation.
- I am embarrassed about my inability to distinguish between an inconvenience and emergency and a crisis.
- I am embarrassed about my lack of perspective and that God is telling an incredible story and I do not see everyday events in it. Or sometimes things just simply break for no reason at all. This is life.
- I am embarrassed because most of the world has it much, much worse – often unspeakably worse. A friend of mine would call what I am going through “West Region problems.”
- I am embarrassed by my lack of peace during stormy seasons. I have been a Christian 37 years and should be a lot more mature than this. It’s not like I haven’t been here before and God has always provided.
- Most of all, I am embarrassed how ungrateful I am when God has already provided the financial resources for this and I get frustrated rather than thankful.
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