30 Days of Thanks: Paid Bills & Food in the Fridge

Day 17

Paid Bills

There was a time when our debt far exceeded our income. I have been working in restaurants since I was a senior in high school so I've grown accustom to relying upon daily tips to pay my bills instead of waiting for a paycheck every two weeks to cover our expenses. Because of that, I developed a system where I wrote down the days of the month and then filled in the bill and the amount on the day that it was due. When the bill got paid, I marked it off with a high-lighter. As a constant reminder, I've posted it on my fridge, for at least the past 10 years, for all to see. It keeps me humble and accountable and it's worked. I can honestly say that at one time every single line was filled with some kind of debt between the two of us. With the exception of our student loans and mortgage, we are nearly free of credit card debt and loans. Statistics say that a majority of Americans are 3 weeks away from declaring bankruptcy. 3 weeks! Early on we resolved to no longer be a slave to debt because it is a cruel, cruel master. I am so thankful that each month we are that much closer and even though it has been difficult, we have persevered.

Day 18

Food in the Fridge

Perhaps it is hard to imagine, for some, opening up the refrigerator to find little to nothing inside. For years, that is how it was in our cabinets and fridge. My parents would often come over and open up the big white beast to find only half-empty condiments. There were two reasons for our lack of food supply. First, money was really tight and second, because of our lifestyle we bought food as we needed it. Since moving to Kansas, I have been working on a food storage and try my best to keep our pantry stocked up, you know, just in case. But there is another amazing thing about this. There are thousands of people living in this world who will never have the luxury of having any kind of food surplus because that is not a reality in their desperately impoverished lives. I am truly, truly grateful for each and every meal that God provides for us every day and freely give away my surplus whenever charity calls.