Try this:  I am going to tell you three true stories, and you write down your very first or “knee-jerk” reaction to the three of them…

The other night whilst in bed my wife says to me “It’s cold” so I ask her if she wants me to turn the heat up and she says “No, I like being in bed when it’s cold.  The weight of the extra covers and the feel of your arms wrapped around me make me happy”

Jamie and I are friends with a great Christian couple who like to go backpacking across Europe.  They usually go around Christmas time.

I have a friend who recently finished both his M-DIV and a Th. M (post-M-DIV, pre Ph.D degree).  He is now living overseas pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh. 

So, what did you write down?  Did it include something along the lines of “I wish that could be me” at any point?  If you are like me, then the answer is yes.  Who  has not looked at someone else’s success and wished you were in their place?  How quickly do we forget all of our blessings when we see someone who has something we want?

I encourage you to think about this as you move forward with your life; every time you hear of or read a story of someone' else’s success, pause and give thanks for your own blessings before wishing for someone else’s. 

This is a follow up to my story All At Once.  You may want to read it before reading the rest of this story.

So, we finally had our neighbors over for dinner this evening (which included homemade lasagna and fresh baked French bread with a hint of garlic)

It was interesting and quite fun.  They were very nice but more importantly they were very transparent; they didn’t pretend to be something they were not.  We don’t know them all that well; however, after enjoying dinner along with some homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream, we indulged in a conversation that spanned nearly five hours.  We discussed life, hopes, dreams, where we were, where we are and where we plan on being and even got into religion and theology a little bit.

Jamie and I value transparent people; we try and be transparent with the people around us.  Although we are only going to be in Lufkin for a few more months, I think we have found some good friends.  And you can never have too many of those.

Every Friday I bring you a food related post.

In these times of economic woe we are all trying to stretch our dollar just a little bit farther, right?  Well, the next time you are out and decide to grab a value meal, consider this; An average daily special cost anywhere between $3-$7; normally included is a main course, a side and a drink.  Not bad, but now let us consider a homemade meal:

Jamie (my wife) made a homemade beef and bean chili; we also had a side of veggies and juice to drink.  When we added up the receipts for the products that went into the stew and divided the total by how many servings it made, it turned out to be less than a dollar a serving; this included the side and the drink. 

My point is this: We all like to go out to eat; I myself am a fan of Olive Garden’s chicken parm. The truth, however,  is if I buy the chicken, cheese, bread crumbs, sauce and noodles myself, I end up saving a ton of money in the long run.  So, make sure that going out to eat is a once in awhile treat and not a regular habit; for we are all called to be good stewards of the money we are given.