Most of you who will read this know me as a thrifty individual - someone who is a bit spoiled, but finagles, seeks and manipulates money into getting her what she wants at a good price. Some of you may have heard my crazy $3 fair ride story (if you haven't, that's a story for another day). What we are about to do may seem even crazier...
Let me share with you a bit of history first... When we left Illinois in the summer of 2003, we were one step away from unemployment and welfare. We took a leap of faith to move all the way to Texas for a pay increase and a stable job. Long story short, we thrived in Texas. Our income went up by leaps & bounds and we enjoyed the spoils of our success. We continued to live a somewhat frugal lifestyle and to make wise decisions with our money, but we lived in a high end area and some of the high end lifestyle seeped in. I, like every girl I know, love manicures, pedicures and stopping at Sonic & Starbucks whenever I feel like it. I love that lifestyle and if I can afford it, fine. However, I have always felt the challenge that we should spend our money on the things of God and not petty luxuries to feed my selfishness. We got a huge house in Texas (that we could afford, but was not as nice as most of my other friends' houses) and I loved it, but I was willing to give it up. When my husband's job was in peril, we made a choice. One that some people don't understand... but a good choice, in my opinion. We chose to deliberately simplify.
He accepted a new job in a small town in the Midwest for a big pay cut. I was working full-time in Texas, but wanted to stay home in Indiana... so our new income would be about half of the old. We had to figure out what was more important to us - living the high life in the big city or moving to a smaller town that is closer to family and make less money. We downsized our lifestyle and our house. We purchased a home that was plenty big for our family, was newer so there would be less maintenance and cut out all luxuries from our lifestyle. What we have come to recognize is that the size that we downsized to was not enough. Our budget has been tight. We can afford to pay all of our bills and eat out on Sundays after church (except during January's challenge), but what we cannot afford is to be generous - to take mission trips - to pay cash for our next car - to put sizable amounts into savings - etc. The financial goals that we could accomplish in Texas while I was drinking Starbucks are no longer accomplishable in our downsized budget. After pouring over our budget time and again, the only solution we came to is that we are spending too much of our budget money on our mortgage and utilities.
To a normal person, selling a house approximately 9 months after you buy it (and moving again) is financially CRAZY. Well, I think I've already proven that I'm willing to do crazy things to get results! Friends of ours had been looking at a house one block over from us that was the exact floor plan of our house. The very same day their house sold, the house they wanted was sold to someone else. So, crazy Amy offers up this idea - hey, do you want to buy my house?!? After lots of prayers, serious discussions and quite a bit of finagling later and they are actually buying our house. [YIKES! What have I done?!?] We are going to "lose" money on the sale, in the sense that we will not be getting back all of the money we put down, paid in closing costs and upgrades, etc. Plus, it's so much easier to stay put. However, in our minds, we were in a lose-lose situation (paying too much for a house and no way to recoup the cost by selling). By selling it ourselves, we would save money and selling the house became a viable option. We are "downsizing" again - only this time to a much smaller house with a much smaller house payment that will allow us the financial freedom we want to have - and without me being forced to work full-time.
In all of this insanity, I really feel God's hand in this. I know that He wants us to get out of debt (all the way - including our house... thanks a lot, Dave Ramsey!) and that He wants to give us the desire of our hearts. The cry of my heart is that we be financially wise, live below our means (ever read "The Millionaire Next Door"?) and that I would be able to be a better mom to my kids by not working full-time. Selling our house and buying a much smaller one will help us accomplish those goals. (Now, I will have to continue to remind myself of those goals when I feel the urge to return to my spoiled ways.) Another of my desires is to not uproot the kids again by putting them in a new school. All I can say is that God answers prayer and responds to the cries of our hearts. We found a new house for a good price in the same schools that is closer to work & church. So... we are selling THIS: 
and buying THIS:
The post entitled "Deliberate Simplicity" on my friend's blog included a question that I hope to never stop asking and re-evaluating in my life.
What is God asking you to do today to follow after Him?
"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple." (Psalm 19:7)
We just had a sermon series at church regarding money. The main point of the series was that the way to financial freedom is to: GAIN WISDOM. I pray that the decisions we are making are God's wisdom, not man's. One of the ways we can discern that is through studying God's Word.
God promised us life through His son, Jesus Christ. (John 10:9-11) He promised us that He would always take care of us. He never promised us it would be easy. He never promised that we would make lots of money or be able to drink Starbucks every day. He never promised us that it would make sense when we look through the eyes of our culture. He did promise us that if we obey Him, we will be blessed.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:24-34
Sayako's husband with Tommie - grilling lots & lots of meat! (Thanks, honey!)
Rice balls with seaweed (yes, those green flecks are kelp!). These actually tasted pretty good! 
My life has been consumed for the past 7 days... and soon, I'll be able to share with the world. Until then...
This is a new song that we are singing at church... it has really meant a lot to me lately. I am so grateful for what God is teaching me lately. Between trials & hardships, parenting, activities & events and the mundane... God has gotten my attention and reminded me of some very powerful basic truths. When I consider the cross and the ultimate eternal plan of God, I have no choice but to fall to my knees to worship. This song captures my feelings about that. Very powerful stuff. 
