In parenting my daughter, I often wonder if she “gets it”. In other words, do all those things that I try to teach her ever sink in…will she understand why I try to instill the values that I do…will she wonder why I’m strict in some areas, passive in others, and unwavering in a select group? I realize that I may never get to see the results of my parenting in certain areas until she is an adult herself one day. But…God gave me a glimpse that she DOES understand one thing: DEBT is not supposed to be normal. She shared with me a clip of a conversation she had with her 12-year-old cousin on Sunday. It goes something like this…

Cousin: “Everybody has to go into debt at some point.”

Anna: “No they don’t.”

Cousin: “Yes, they do. Like…if you’re going to buy a new boat, you get a loan to buy the boat and pay it back later.”

Anna: “No, you wait until you’ve saved up the money to the buy the boat and then you get the boat.”

Cousin: “Hmmm…that makes sense. How did you know that?”

Anna: “My mom and step-dad listen to Dave Ramsey all the time, and they tell me all the time to never get into debt.”

YES!!!!!!! She gets it!!!!

I’m usually in bed between 10:00-10:30 every night…not tonight, however. The clock just struck midnight a little while ago, and I’m still wide-eyed. I very seldom have trouble sleeping, but it’s happened to me twice this week already. I think my mind is simply running away from me. As a perpetual listmaker, I seem to keep making to-do lists in mind. This stems partly from the fact that I’ve been recovering from foot surgery now for almost two weeks. During that time, work has piled up at the office, chores have piled up at home, shopping needs have had to be put on hold, and the list goes on. Now – I need to stop right here and say that I’ve had immeasurable help during these two weeks: meals have been provided, laundry has been kept up with by my husband and daughter, co-workers have been working through some of the piles on my desk, etc. However, I’m beginning to feel anxious about everything else still to do. The moment the word anxious penetrated my mind, God reminded me of one of my most favorite memory verses that He taught me earlier this year…

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippian 4:6-7

I’m so thankful for God’s Word. I’ve really dug deep this year to memorize more and more of His beautiful Word, and to “hide it in my heart”. He never fails to remind me of His promises when I need to hear them most. So, with that said…I’m renewing my mind right now with thoughts of Him and His faithfulness, and I’m going to bed – trusting I will enter a restful sleep very soon! Be blessed!