This Friday we are taking the day off to go to the Financial Peace University HQ in Franklin, TN to do our debt free scream live on the Dave Ramsey radio show. You can listen for us from the website here. I don't know what time we'll be on air, but you might just get something from listening to the entire show as you wait for our cue, *wink, wink*.
So of course ~ I'm nervous! Jon will do most of the talking, because he's good at that. Usually Dave asks the wife "What was the hardest part about getting out of debt?" So I've been pondering this question for about a month or so. I want to give a good answer (so I'm writing this post as a sort of practice run).
On the surface, getting out of debt wasn't really that hard for me. I've been used to living frugally and giving up things to save a buck here and there. Initially it was hard for me to accept that we wouldn't be moving from our little apartment after we got married into something larger and more centrally located. But we chose to use those funds to achieve Freedom sooner. Cable was a piece of cake to give up. We realized quickly how rich our time together was without it. My drive to work, well. It's still kind of intolerable. I guess it's been hard for me to step out the door every morning without whining about the drive. But I realize sometimes the space between events on a busy day is nice. The drive is a forced detachment from the rest of the day.
So those are the things I've dealt through without much difficulty. The difficult thing was more in relating to others... And not just in the sense of turning them down to go out to eat or something. For me it was feeling like being viewed as limited and unable, in a perceived state of living like poor college students for some unspecified or forever amount of time. People focus on what seems from the outside : that we can't afford things, that somehow we're in need of aid. We are not in need of aid, and we CHOOSE not to afford certain things in order for that money to make a bigger difference in an area that matters more.
Why care what others think? Usually I don't. But for this I care that they don't understand us, and that I'm discouraged by their close-mindedness to new ideas that could change their lives as well. I'm discouraged by their disinterest in helping themselves.
It's almost like being in a rocket headed for amazing blessings and success, and watching the other people pass by, amazed maybe, but not along for such a fun ride. I want them all to experience the fun ride!
So that's been the difficult thing for me. Struggling with misunderstanding, trying to be an example while still amongst our mess.. until the payoff :•) So I really want our being debt free to encourage others to know it's possible for them personally.
Annnnd, I have no idea how to say all that in person! Maybe I should just read my blog on air haha. Or just be like.. "umm, something.. understanding.. abstract, thingamabob... Back to you Jon!" Just kidding. I'll figure it out. But I'm definitely bringing a note card!
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