Seasons

My daughter has an annoying little habit. Despite the fact that the temperatures have dropped from 80 to 55, and despite the fact that the leaves are falling and the sun is making a brief appearance between cloudbursts, she'll say "See mommy? The sunshine is out!" and proceeds to head outside to play in shorts and a short sleeved shirt. She's still living in last summer!

The cooling temperatures and falling leaves are a great reminder that we live our lives in seasons.

• kids experience elementary school, then middle school, then high school, and finally (for some), college - each a different season with new learning, new relationships, new maturity, new responsibility.
• women often move from the workplace to home with children and back to the workplace again - each season bringing different demands, sacrifices, challenges, joys, frustrations, and victories.
• families have little ones who grow to middle ones who are suddenly leaving home - each passing season leaving special memories indelibly written on our hearts.

We are young, and we are old. We are winning, and we are losing. We have highs, and we have lows. It happens in our relationships, our health and physical fitness, our careers, our children, our ministry, and yes, even in our finances. We know this...so why are we always surprised by it?

Seasons come and seasons go. When we embrace the fact that our financial seasons are going to ebb and flow, and when we become expert at discerning the season, then we can be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. As Paul says in Philippians 4, "...I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." The key to success is living within your season!

What season are you in financially? Are you living within that season, or are you trying like my daughter to live in the fall the same way you did last summer? Embrace and adapt to your season. This too shall pass.

Deanna Koffler, Nine36 Financial (936 Financial)

What's Your Excuse?

We humans like to make excuses, and we tend to make them for a couple of key reasons. When it comes to managing our finances wisely, there's no exception...excuses abound for why we can't seem to move forward or why we don't have a plan.

1. We've done something wrong, made a mess of things, and now we feel the need to justify our action or inaction.

• "It's not my fault" (this is followed by the blame game...)
• "I deserve"..."I'm owed"..."I have a right"..."I need"

This is rooted in selfishness, and quickly leads to hopelessness, paralyzation, discontentment, ungratefulness, criticising and being judgemental. Ouch! Want to be know for those qualities?

2. We're trying to avoid doing something we don't want to do.

• "I'm not good at it"..."it's not my gift"
• "It's too time consuming"..."I'm too busy"...."I have more important things to do"
• "I'm doing fine financially so this is not for me"

This is rooted in fear and laziness, and quickly leads to bondage, distractions, and an inability to pursue all that God has for you.

Our excuses are like a boat anchor. As long as we're hanging on to them, they will pull us under and keep us from ever breaking the surface to grab hold of a life preserver.

What's your boat anchor? What practical steps can you take today to overcome and move forward?

Deanna Koffler, Nine36 Financial (936 Financial)